The British High Commission in Kampala has announced that the United Kingdom-UK will provide 1,000,000 Pound sterling (£1m) about Shs4.8 billion to Baylor College of Medicine and the Infectious Disease Institute to support Uganda’s response to the current Mpox outbreak.
The support delivered through these expert partners will be aligned to the Government of Uganda’s overall Mpox response plan. The funding will strengthen co-ordination of the response; surveillance, and risk communication and community engagement.
Philip Smith, the Acting British High Commissioner to Uganda said that it is critical that the United Kingdom work with the Government of Uganda to counter this outbreak and that the funds will be used to strengthen on-the-ground response efforts in the affected districts, ensuring a swift and efficient approach to the outbreak.
“We are pleased to announce that this additional funding is being released immediately to support a timely response. The UK’s support will work in affected districts to improve the response to the outbreak on the ground. The UK will stand with the Government and people of Uganda in tackling this outbreak,” Phillip Smith said.
Jane Ruth Acheng, Minister for Health acknowledged the long-standing partnership with the UK in responding to public health crises and expressed appreciation for the timely financial assistance provided through Baylor Uganda and the Infectious Disease Institute.
She added that the support will be crucial in tackling the outbreak effectively and mitigating its impact on the population.
“We acknowledge that our collaboration with the UK dates back several years. The UK has always been a key partner with the Government of Uganda on our outbreak response. We appreciate the £1 million contribution via implementing partners Baylor Uganda and Infectious Disease Institute in supporting us to respond efficiently to the Mpox outbreak,” Aceng said.
