BUNIA, DRC | Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have stepped up cross-border health cooperation as efforts intensify to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC.
Uganda’s Minister of Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, led a delegation of senior officials from the Ministry of Health to Bunia, Ituri Province, where they held bilateral engagements with the Governor of Ituri Province and Congolese health officials coordinating the Ebola response.
The meeting focused on how technical teams from Uganda and the DRC will jointly strengthen surveillance, response coordination, case management and other practical interventions in line with the recently signed bilateral health cooperation agreement between the two countries.
Dr Baryomunsi said the engagement was aimed at ensuring that the two neighbouring countries work closely to close existing gaps and manage the outbreak through a coordinated approach.
“We were received by the Governor of Ituri Province and a team of Congolese health officials who are leading efforts to contain the Ebola disease outbreak,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
He added that Uganda and the DRC discussed strategies for jointly managing the outbreak in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries, noting that representatives of the World Health Organization, Africa CDC and other partners attended the engagements.
“The fight against Ebola must succeed,” he stressed.
The Permanent Secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine, said the talks centred on strengthening collaboration between technical teams from both countries to bring the outbreak under control as quickly as possible.
“The discussions focused on how the technical teams from the DRC and Uganda will work together to strengthen the response, address any existing gaps in line with the recently signed bilateral agreement, and collaborate in other practical areas to bring the ongoing Ebola outbreak to an end as quickly as possible,” Dr Atwine said.
She thanked the Governor and the Government of the DRC for the warm reception, strong collaboration and commitment demonstrated during the engagements.
The visit comes at a critical time, with Ituri Province remaining the epicentre of the outbreak. WHO reported that, as of July 1, 2026, DRC had recorded 1,460 confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases and 452 deaths, with Ituri accounting for the vast majority of cases and deaths. Uganda had recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths as of July 2, but WHO noted that the country had not reported a new case since June 21.
Recent reports indicate that the outbreak has continued to spread, driven partly by population movement, insecurity and pressure on treatment facilities. Reuters reported on July 7 that WHO officials said the outbreak had not yet stabilised, while AP reported that latest government data showed 1,708 recorded cases and 580 deaths.
A Congolese outlet also reported that 48 Ugandan medical personnel had arrived in Bunia to support the cross-border response, including clinical care, surveillance and capacity building in affected health zones.
The Uganda–DRC engagement underscores the growing urgency for regional coordination, especially along border communities where trade, movement and shared health risks require joint surveillance and rapid response.
