The government of Japan has provided an emergency grant of USD 500,000 approximately (Shs 1.85 billion) to support Ebola response efforts in Uganda, as authorities and humanitarian agencies intensify measures to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission in high-risk communities.
The funding, channelled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), will strengthen the Uganda Red Cross Society’s field operations, focusing on community surveillance, risk communication, and frontline public health interventions.
The support comes at a critical stage of the response, with volunteers already deployed in affected and high-risk areas to conduct awareness campaigns, monitor suspected cases, counter misinformation, and promote early care-seeking behaviour.
According to implementing partners, the new financing is expected to expand community-based interventions aimed at breaking chains of transmission and improving early detection of new infections.
Under the funded programme, the Uganda Red Cross Society will scale up key Ebola response activities, including community awareness campaigns, contact tracing support, and deployment of trained volunteers for early identification of suspected cases.
The intervention will also support treatment and isolation centres in high-risk districts, alongside procurement of personal protective equipment and essential hygiene supplies for frontline responders.
Other planned activities include psychosocial support for affected families and strengthening surveillance and early warning systems designed to detect and respond to new infections more quickly.
Officials said the approach is intended to improve community engagement, strengthen early response capacity, and reduce delays in identifying and isolating cases.
Uganda Red Cross Society Secretary General Robert Kwesiga said the support would enhance ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable populations.
“We deeply appreciate Japan’s timely and generous support during this critical period,” Kwesiga said. “This funding will significantly strengthen our capacity to contain Ebola, protect communities, and deliver lifesaving assistance to those most at risk.”
He added that the intervention reflects the importance of sustained partnerships in outbreak response.
IFRC Head of Country Office in Uganda Louise Daintrey-Hall said community engagement remains central to controlling the spread of Ebola.
“Ebola outbreaks begin and end in communities, and it is Red Cross volunteers who stand at the heart of this response,” she said. “Japan’s contribution will strengthen the Uganda Red Cross to scale up lifesaving work, helping communities protect themselves and stop the spread of Ebola.”
Humanitarian agencies say the Japanese funding underscores the importance of international cooperation in strengthening outbreak response and health security systems in vulnerable regions.
The IFRC said it is coordinating additional resource mobilization efforts and providing technical support to ensure sustained operations as the outbreak evolves.
Authorities and partners caution that continued funding, surveillance, and coordinated community action remain critical to preventing further spread of the virus and ensuring rapid detection of new cases.
