The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, convened a national Ebola Accountability Forum on 24 July 2025 to reflect on Uganda’s response to the 2025 Ebola outbreak and to strengthen future preparedness efforts.

Presided over by Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health, the forum brought together more than 100 stakeholders, including government officials, health professionals, development and implementing partners, and frontline responders. The forum provided an opportunity to reflect on the operational performance, coordination mechanisms, and best practices that contributed to this success.

Dr Aceng emphasized that the forum was not only a moment of accountability but also a reaffirmation of Uganda’s collective commitment to protecting lives, strengthening systems, and learning from every challenge. She acknowledged the shifting landscape of global health financing and the evolving priorities of donors, while expressing deep appreciation for the unwavering support received from partners during the Ebola outbreak.

The 2025 outbreak, which affected Kampala, Wakiso, Mbale, Fort Portal City, and Jinja City, posed significant challenges to the health system. Yet, through decisive leadership, the dedication of health workers, and strong collaboration with partners, Uganda successfully contained the outbreak.

Participants discussed the need to modernize surveillance systems, strengthen supply chains, and the importance of institutionalizing resilient health care systems. There was a strong emphasis on integrating behavioral insights and risk communication into preparedness planning to ensure more effective responses in the future. The importance of focus on ecological investigation to identify the focus of spill over at the animal-human-environment interface was also prioritized for future study.

Dr Kasonde Mwinga, WHO Country Representative to Uganda, applauded the Ministry of Health for its leadership and the rapid activation of response mechanisms. She praised the frontline health workers, survivors, and their families, whose courage and resilience were instrumental in the response.

The success of the response, observed Dr Mwinga, is not only measured by the USD 24 million mobilized, but also by how effectively, transparently, and strategically those resources were used. She underscored the importance of aligning every contribution with national priorities to ensure maximum impact.
“While the outbreak has officially ended, the systemic vulnerabilities it exposed need attention. Let us continue to build resilient health systems that can detect, respond to, and recover from health threats swiftly, equitably, and sustainably,” said Dr Mwinga.

Dr Aceng announced plans to establish an interdisciplinary consortium for epidemic research in Africa. This initiative aims to promote African-led, context-specific research that will inform future outbreak responses. By embedding research into the response architecture, the consortium will generate evidence to guide policy and action.

The accountability forum concluded with a joint statement of commitment from partners, reaffirming their dedication to ensuring that Uganda is better prepared for future public health emergencies.

Uganda declared an Ebola outbreak on 30 January 2025. With support from WHO and partners, Ministry of Health activated emergency response mechanisms, including surveillance, case management, laboratory services, risk communication, and community engagement. Remarkably, all patients admitted to the treatment unit survived, and all secondary cases were identified among known contacts—demonstrating the strength of Uganda’s surveillance and response systems. The outbreak was officially declared over on 26 April 2025.