A delegation from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Regional Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PREPARE) Project on Tuesday met with Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Vincent Bagiire, and other senior officials to discuss collaborative efforts in combating Mpox and Ebola.

The IGAD PREPARE team was led by Mr. Mubarak Mabuya, Chief of Staff and Interim Director for Health and Social Development, who represented IGAD Executive Secretary H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu. He was accompanied by Dr. Fatuma Adan, the Head of Mission to Kenya and Head of the IGAD PREPARE Project.

During the meeting, Mr. Mabuya outlined the PREPARE Project’s objectives, emphasizing its role in enhancing Uganda’s emergency response capacity for Mpox while also supporting broader pandemic preparedness measures. Dr. Fatuma Adan further highlighted that the project focuses on strengthening regional laboratory and surveillance systems, workforce development, and cross-border collaboration under the One Health framework.

Mr. Bagiire welcomed IGAD’s intervention, recognizing its alignment with Uganda’s national health priorities and emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation in pandemic response. He also called on IGAD and other development partners to mobilize additional resources to ensure equal attention to all IGAD member states, given the complexities of cross-border movements, international travel, and trade in the region.

The meeting also served as an opportunity to update the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the progress and impact of the PREPARE Project, which is supported by the Pandemic Fund and the World Bank Africa.

Uganda remains a key player in regional health security, and partnerships such as this reinforce efforts to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms against emerging health threats.