The United Nations has issued an urgent appeal to raise $11.2 million to support Uganda’s efforts in containing an Ebola outbreak that has claimed two lives. The outbreak has further strained Uganda’s health sector, already impacted by reduced U.S. foreign aid funding.
Uganda declared the outbreak in January in the capital, Kampala, following the death of a male nurse at the country’s national referral hospital. A second fatality, a four-year-old child, was confirmed last week by the World Health Organization (WHO), citing Uganda’s Ministry of Health.
The 10 confirmed cases in Uganda have been linked to the Sudan strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine. The UN’s emergency funding appeal aims to support response efforts from March to May across seven high-risk districts.
“The objective is to swiftly contain the outbreak while mitigating its public health and socio-economic impact on affected communities,” stated Kasonde Mwinga, Uganda representative for the WHO.
Historically, Uganda has depended heavily on U.S. financial support for its health sector. During the 2022-2023 Ebola outbreak, the U.S. contributed $34 million toward case management, surveillance, diagnostics, laboratory services, and infection control, according to a U.S. Embassy report. However, aid cuts under former President Donald Trump’s administration have significantly reduced U.S. funding to Uganda’s health sector, further burdening the country’s public health budget.
Dr. Janet Diaz, a specialist from the World Health Emergencies Programme, noted in a Geneva press briefing that WHO has had to assume responsibilities previously managed by other organizations due to funding constraints. These include deploying surveillance teams at border crossings and overseeing the handling of biological samples.
Ebola symptoms typically include fever, headache, and muscle pain. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues.
The UN continues to mobilize international support to prevent further escalation of the outbreak.
