May 26 Update: Uganda has confirmed 7 Ebola cases, while 436 contacts remain under monitoring. Medical Teams International has strengthened screening, community outreach, and infection prevention efforts, with no confirmed cases in supported refugee settlements.
May 17 Update: On May 17, the World Health Organization declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Rapid Response to Ebola Outbreak
In efforts to help contain the spread of Ebola, Medical Teams International health workers are actively screening for the virus at border points in Uganda and Tanzania, and in health facilities that we manage with the Ministry of Health in Uganda refugee settlements.
Our staff are on the ground in full protective gear, conducting temperature checks and identifying potential symptoms early so suspected cases can be safely isolated and referred for treatment.
When outbreaks emerge, rapid response is essential. Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and can quickly become fatal without early detection, isolation, and medical care.
Medical Teams Uganda’s frontline response includes:
- Screening for symptoms at border crossings and health facilities
- Supporting testing, safe referral, and isolation efforts of suspected cases
- Providing protective equipment and emergency medical supplies to strengthen response
- Training frontline health workers on how to safely wear protective equipment and ensure effective infection prevention and control
- Supporting surveillance and educating communities about prevention and warning signs through a team of 2,000+ community health workers
Jason Evans, Medical Teams country director in Uganda, shared about Medical Teams’ response to the outbreak:
“Today, I’ve been in the field seeing how the work is happening and at the same time seeing that the precautions are in place to protect refugees and the host communities from the spread of Ebola. I am pleased to see that our colleagues are operating in health facilities, taking great precautions, and taking this very seriously. I’m encouraged that we should be able to help mitigate the spread of this disease.”
Your support helps Medical Teams respond quickly when communities most need help.
What is Ebola and how does it spread?
Ebola is a deadly virus that spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. Without prompt detection and treatment, Ebola can spread quickly through families and communities. While survival rates have improved with better medical care, Ebola outbreaks remain dangerous and require rapid response efforts to contain them.
Medical Teams’ responses to Ebola outbreaks since 2013
For more than a decade, Medical Teams has supported Ebola preparedness and response efforts across Africa.
During the 2013–2016 West Africa outbreak, Medical Teams served on the frontlines in Liberia.
In 2018, our teams helped screen refugees crossing from DRC into Uganda and trained community health workers to help prevent the spread of disease.
When Uganda declared a Sudan-strain Ebola outbreak in 2022, Medical Teams quickly mobilized to screen patients, transport suspected cases, and educate communities about prevention.
“As a humanitarian organization, Medical Teams is built for emergencies,” Jason said. “There’s obviously anxiety about the spread of Ebola into Uganda. We’ve had a number of outbreaks in Uganda before and have managed to handle them very well.”
Today, Medical Teams continues to strengthen outbreak preparedness and remains ready to respond to future health emergencies.
Help stop the spread of Ebola
Medical Teams health workers are actively screening for Ebola at border points in Uganda and Tanzania and in health facilities in Uganda, to help prevent the spread of Ebola in vulnerable communities.
“We have deployed teams of screeners as travelers come to the borders to make sure we’re identifying symptoms and signs of being sick and possibly with Ebola,” explained Jason. “In the health facilities in the refugee settlements we are also taking great precautions. Screening is happening at entry points to each of the health facilities … We are hoping again to protect from the spread of the disease.”