The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has asked the Ministry of Health to provide dedicated funding for the nationwide Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) prevention campaign, warning that media houses cannot indefinitely shoulder the cost of mandatory prime-time public health messaging without financial facilitation.
In a May 28, 2026 letter addressed to the Ministry of Health, NAB said broadcasters remain committed to supporting national efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak but stressed that the current economic realities facing the media industry make it impossible to sustain an intensive campaign free of charge.
The appeal follows a recent Ministry of Health directive requiring media houses to dedicate daily prime-time slots to Ebola prevention messaging as Uganda intensifies efforts to contain the outbreak.
According to the ministry’s latest Ebola status update issued on May 25, Uganda had recorded seven cumulative cases and one death, with an increasing number of contacts, particularly among frontline health workers.
Signed by NAB chairman Innocent Nahabwe, the letter acknowledges the Ministry’s leadership in managing public health emergencies but cautions against imposing “an unbudgeted, mandatory prime-time mandate” on broadcasters already grappling with high operating costs.
“As the apex body representing private television, radio, and digital broadcasters across Uganda, NAB deeply understands its civic responsibility and the critical role electronic media plays in driving behavior change, national mobilization, and saving lives during health emergencies,” the letter reads in part.
“However, we wish to formally bring to your attention the operational and financial realities currently facing the media industry, which preclude our member stations from executing this intensive prime-time campaign entirely free of charge.”
NAB said broadcasters have in recent years faced mounting financial pressure arising from regulatory fees, transmission expenses, and rising operational overheads, arguing that prime-time programming remains one of the few reliable revenue streams sustaining station operations and staff salaries.
The association referenced the government-media collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, describing it as a successful model because it was backed by structured financial support that enabled stations to consistently air public health messages across the country.
“We vividly recall the historic, highly successful collaboration between the Ministry of Health and NAB during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020,” the association noted.
“That structured media campaign was universally acknowledged as a pivotal factor in driving public compliance, clearing misinformation, and ultimately steering the country through the worst of the pandemic.”
The latest appeal revives a longstanding debate between government and private broadcasters over whether the state should financially compensate media houses for mandatory public-interest programming during national emergencies.
In previous engagements, broadcasters have pushed back against government expectations that mass media should provide extensive public service airtime on a pro bono basis, arguing that such directives ignore the commercial realities of running radio and television stations in an increasingly difficult economic environment.
NAB now says it is prepared to mobilize broadcasters nationwide for a synchronized multilingual Ebola awareness campaign, but insists this must be supported through a “structured, funded media framework” that guarantees sustainable airtime deployment and message consistency across all regions.
The association has requested a meeting with the Ministry of Health communication team to discuss airtime rates, media deployment strategies, and the establishment of an emergency communication budget for the campaign.
The request comes at a time of heightened concern over the spread of Ebola in the region, particularly along the Uganda-DRC border, where health authorities remain on high alert.
