The United Nations has made an urgent appeal for $11.2 million to support Uganda’s efforts to contain the current Ebola outbreak. This appeal comes after the country’s health budget was severely impacted by US cuts to foreign aid.
Uganda declared the outbreak in January after a male nurse died from the disease in Kampala.
Since then, there have been 10 confirmed cases linked to the Sudan strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine.
Unfortunately, two people, including a four-year-old child, have lost their lives to the disease.
The funds sought by the UN will cover the Ebola response from March to May in seven high-risk districts.
According to Kasonde Mwinga, Uganda representative for the World Health Organization (WHO), the goal is to rapidly contain the outbreak and address its impact on public health and the social-economic life of affected people.
Uganda has historically relied heavily on the US for health sector funding.
During the last Ebola outbreak in 2022-2023, the US provided $34 million to support various activities, including case management and infection prevention.
However, the recent aid freeze imposed by the Trump administration has resulted in significant cuts to US funding, severely straining Uganda’s public health budget.
