Health authorities from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), alongside development partners, have concluded a two-day cross-border meeting in Aru town aimed at strengthening preparedness and coordination against Ebola and other public health threats along the two countries' shared border.
The meeting brought together health officials from both countries to finalize arrangements for the implementation of a Joint Ebola Response Plan designed to improve disease surveillance, information sharing, screening and emergency response in border communities.
Uganda's delegation was led by Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health.
The discussions come as both countries continue to prioritize cross-border disease surveillance due to the high volume of movement of people, goods and services across one of East Africa's busiest and most porous borders.
Health officials emphasized that coordinated action remains critical in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, particularly Ebola, which has repeatedly affected communities on both sides of the border over the years.
The Uganda-DRC border has remained a major focus of public health preparedness efforts because of its proximity to areas that have experienced Ebola outbreaks in the past.
Health experts have consistently warned that porous crossing points, informal trade routes and frequent population movements increase the risk of disease transmission if surveillance systems are not effectively coordinated.
The latest meeting is expected to pave the way for the rollout of the Joint Ebola Response Plan, which seeks to strengthen early detection of suspected cases, improve referral systems, harmonize response protocols and enhance communication between health authorities in both countries.
Officials also discussed mechanisms for sharing real-time information on disease outbreaks, coordinating screening activities at official and unofficial points of entry, and strengthening community engagement initiatives in border districts.
Uganda has in recent years invested significantly in Ebola preparedness, including establishing isolation facilities, training health workers, strengthening laboratory capacity and conducting public awareness campaigns in districts considered to be at high risk.
The country has successfully contained several Ebola outbreaks, including the 2022 Sudan Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, which affected districts such as Mubende and Kassanda before being brought under control.
Health authorities said lessons learned from previous outbreaks have demonstrated that effective cross-border collaboration remains one of the most important tools for preventing, detecting and responding to public health emergencies.
The Joint Ebola Response Plan is expected to further strengthen cooperation between Uganda and the DRC, helping both countries improve readiness and protect vulnerable border communities from future disease outbreaks.