Tayari News
Following the Ebola outbreak in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Government of Uganda is contemplating a move to temporarily suspend public passenger service on ferries on the Semliki River, cross-border bus transport and all public transport between DRC and Uganda for four weeks
While communicating the resolutions of the National Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, convened earlier today by the Vice President, Jessicah Alupo, the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, said that public transport will be strictly restricted, with little consideration given to vehicles transporting goods and food.
Dr Atwine told the media that the government is intensifying mass risk awareness and sensitisation on infection prevention and control, and observation of the mass gathering standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Health for the entire country, using Radios, Televisions, social media, cultural institutions, religious institutions, and local government structures.
Other resolutions passed by the committee include a move to enhance screening, testing, and treatment capacities along the DRC borderline based on risk assessment, temporary suspension of all cultural celebrations, commemorations that attract big numbers of participants along the DRC-Uganda border, enhancing death reporting in all districts with more emphasis on the high-risk districts along the Uganda DRC border and the Kampala metropolitan area, and temporary suspension of all flights to and from the DRC to Uganda, arguing that this takes effect within 48 hours.
The committee also agreed to enhance border security patrols along the Porous borders to minimise cross border movement, suspend all weekly markets in the border sub-counties of the high-risk districts for the next 4 weeks, enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) in non-weekly markets in all border districts along DRC including schools, prisons, hotels and places of worship, facilitate only essential movement of population across borders for people originating from the DRC limiting it to gazetted and designated crossing points.
According to the committee, schools must open on time and be advised to strictly observe the SOPs issued by the Ministry of Health and enforced by the School Administration.
President Museveni, while speaking at the launch of the 10th Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo 2026 held at Munyonyo on Thursday, said that there was no cause for alarm over Ebola because the situation was under control.
“Regarding Ebola, there is no cause for alarm. We are applying targeted measures and continuing to work scientifically to keep people safe while keeping our economy open.” He said
Uganda Media Centre Executive Director, Alan Kasuja, said: “As we talk, we don’t have Ebola in the Country. Even the Congolese patient we have been treating has tested negative.”