President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has backed a strategic proposal by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to establish a continental response headquarters in Kampala to fight the regional Ebola outbreak.
The President approved the deployment on Friday afternoon during a high-level briefing at State House Entebbe. H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, the Director General of Africa CDC, led the visiting delegation to evaluate cross-border emergency operations. The proposed continental Incident Management Support Team will consolidate medical monitoring, resource logistics, and containment protocols across East and Central Africa. President Museveni welcomed the unified framework, assuring the delegation of Uganda's total administrative cooperation.
The President maintained that organized public health vigilance and transparent tracking are sufficient to stop the virus from destabilizing local economies. He explained that early operational entry remains the most critical factor in neutralizing transmission chains.
“Ebola only becomes deadly when there is lack of attention. Otherwise, it is very manageable,” President Museveni stated.
The diplomatic health briefing follows the recent detection of the Bundibugyo Ebola strain within the border region, triggering elevated monitoring at all entry points. Dr. Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, attended the session alongside technical specialists to align state surveillance with continental resources. Dr. Kaseya assured the President that joint border screening teams have successfully stabilized local transmission risks through rapid isolation.
The specialized command center in Kampala will help harmonize emergency response financing and expedite laboratory processing times for neighboring states. Africa CDC officials noted that centralized coordination is essential to address operational gaps caused by heavy cross-border merchant migration. President Museveni concluded by reiterating that proper national preparedness will ensure Uganda keeps its markets and schools running safely throughout the intervention.
“With proper attention and preparedness, Ebola is very manageable,” the President added.
