IGAD Promises To Boost Uganda’s Mpox and Ebola Response

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has announced UGX 14.4 billion in financial support to Uganda’s Ministry of Health to strengthen the country’s emergency response to Mpox and Ebola.

This announcement was made during a high-level meeting between Ministry of Health officials, led by Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, PS Dr Diana Atwine and an IGAD delegation in Kampala.

Uganda is battling both diseases with one ebola fatality according to the latest reports.

The funding, provided through IGAD’s Regional Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PREPARE) Project, will enhance disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce development, and coordination mechanisms to combat the ongoing outbreaks. This support is part of a larger USD 8.3 million (UGX 31 billion) package allocated to IGAD member states battling Mpox and Ebola.

It is not yet clear when this much needed support will be disbursed to the Ministry.

L-R; Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, PS Dr Diana Atwine and an official from MoH during the meeting

During the meeting, IGAD’s Chief of Staff and Interim Director of the Health and Social Development Division, Mr. Mubarak Mabuya, emphasized the urgency of reinforcing Uganda’s health response. He was joined by Dr. Rahma Abdulrahman, IGAD’s Head of Mission to Kenya, and other officials who met with top leadership at the Ministry of Health to discuss priority intervention areas.

Minister Aceng welcomed IGAD’s support, noting that Uganda’s response efforts require sustained regional collaboration and financial backing. “This funding will strengthen our ability to contain the spread of these diseases, especially in border communities and high-risk areas,” she said.

The IGAD PREPARE Project, funded by the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund through the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to mitigate the spread of Mpox and Ebola within Uganda and across IGAD member states. With frequent cross-border movements and international trade, the region remains vulnerable to fast-spreading outbreaks.

This announcement follows an IGAD PREPARE Project Steering Committee meeting held on February 5, 2025, where recommendations were made to streamline the delivery of emergency support. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Uganda’s National Emergency Coordination Taskforces, will oversee the implementation of this financial assistance to ensure an effective response.