Despite the Ministry of Health (MoH) declaration that Uganda is now free of Ebola disease, communities in border districts have been reminded to remain vigilant about pandemics which may sneak from the continuously affected neighbouring countries.
On July 28, 2026, Minister of Health, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, declared Uganda free of Ebola disease but emphasised the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which should remain operational for the general public.
Bunyoro is one of the sub-regions with districts at a higher risk of attack by Ebola disease since it directly borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the East, a neighbouring country which continues to report new Ebola cases and deaths.
Currently, DRC has over 3,000 registered cases with over 1,000 deaths, with more concentration in Kasenyi in the Eastern DRC.
Uganda, from May 2026 to June 2026, registered twenty Ebola cases. Two deaths were reported, and eighteen recovered from the disease.
While meeting the Bunyoro media practitioners on the current status of Ebola in the country in Hoima City on Thursday afternoon, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Senior Communication Officer at the Ministry of Health, said that all the border districts remain of interest to the country.
Why? Ainebyoona said they are at risk of frequent immigration, which can lead to new transmission.
“Much as the country has been declared free of Ebola disease, the border districts, especially those in Bunyoro, remain of high interest to the country. There is a higher chance of having new transmission from those that might sneak into the country through the porous borders,” Ainebyoona noted.
“We, however, remain vigilant on a higher alert given that our immediate neighbouring country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), still suffers from the pandemic with new rising Ebola cases being registered in the country,” he told the press.
He added that Uganda remains in the preparedness phase to ensure that her communities along the DRC remain alert to report persons using porous borders to sneak into the country.
As one of the strategies, he said that the ministry has embarked on training media practitioners along border districts to ensure responsible reporting about the pandemic without causing contradictions.
He warned journalists against spreading false information without clear evidence and proven facts, saying it can lead to negative consequences, including having negative impacts on the country’s economy.
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