In an accelerated effort to scale up response to the Ebola disease outbreak in Uganda, World Health Organization (WHO)has delivered medical supplies, and logistics and deployed staff to support the national authorities in halting the spread of the virus.

So far, seven cases, including one death, have been confirmed to have contracted the Sudan ebolavirus, one of the six species of the Ebolavirus genus. Forty-three contacts have been identified and 10 people suspected to have caught the virus are receiving treatment at the regional referral hospital in Mubende, the district where the disease was confirmed this week, making it the first time Uganda has detected the Sudan ebolavirus since 2012.

Mubende is in the central region of Uganda and is about a two-hour drive from the capital Kampala and sits along a busy road leading to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are gold mines in the area, which attract people from different parts of Uganda, as well as other countries. The mobile nature of the population in Mubende increases the risk of the possible spread of the virus.

WHO has deployed a technical team to Mubende district to support surveillance, infection prevention and control and the management of cases. The Organization is also assisting in the activation of surveillance structures in neighbouring districts and is repurposing its country-based staff to bolster the response. In addition, five international experts will be deployed, with numbers increasing if needed.

 “We are acting quickly and decisively to draw the reins on this outbreak. Our experts are already on the ground working with Uganda’s experienced Ebola control teams to reinforce surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures,” said Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, Regional Emergency Director with the WHO Regional Office for Africa. “Africa’s stronger homegrown emergency readiness is proving ever more crucial in tackling outbreaks such as Ebola.”

Due to Uganda’s previous outbreaks and the threat of importation of cases from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo which has fought several outbreaks, WHO and the Ministry of Health have collaborated on many preparedness activities, the last such exercise was in August 2022, where nine Ugandan clinicians were trained on how to manage viral haemorrhagic fevers and are now working in the response.

WHO already has six viral haemorrhagic fever kits in Uganda, and one has been delivered to Mubende. While there are no therapeutics that specifically treat Sudan ebolavirus species, early identification of cases and treatment of symptoms greatly increase the chances of survival.

Current evidence shows that ERVEBO vaccine, which is highly effective against the Zaire ebolavirus, doesn’t provide cross-protection against the Sudan ebolavirus.

There are at least six candidate vaccines against Sudan ebolavirus which are in different stages of development. Three of them have Phase1 data (safety and immunogenicity data in humans) and the remaining are in the preclinical evaluation phase. 

The WHO Research and Development Blueprint team is in contact with all developers and is leading a collaborative effort involving international experts to determine which vaccine(s) may be suitable for additional evaluation during this outbreak (and if doses with required standards are available) should more cases be confirmed. A CORE protocol for their evaluation exists and WHO will discuss the proposed next steps with the Ugandan authorities to seek their approval.

WHO held a press conference today led by Dr Patrick Otim, Health Emergency Officer, Acute Events Management Unit, WHO Regional Office for Africa. He was joined by Dr Kyobe Henry Bbosa, Ebola Incident Commander, Ministry of Health of Uganda; Dr Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo, Co-Lead Research and Development Blueprint for epidemics, WHO Health Emergencies Programme; and Dr William A. Fischer II, Director of Emerging Pathogens at Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of North Carolina.

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UNAIDS has applauded donors for increasing their contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). Donors pledged US$ 14.25 billion (Shs 55trillion) to support efforts to end the three pandemics with more funding set to come. Donors made their pledges at the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference hosted by the President of the United States Joe Biden. 

“Leaders from around the world who have committed resources today are life savers. They have made an investment in the future of children, young people and those facing the disproportionate burden of global inequalities, especially young women and girls. They are helping to build resilient health systems and be better prepared to face emerging threats to global security,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. 

Countries rose to the challenge of increasing funding by 30 percent, demonstrating their confidence in the strong leadership of the Global Fund and its partners. The United States continued its position as a leader in global health by pledging US$ 6 billion (Shs 231trillion), committing to invest US$1 billion (Shs 3.8trillion) for every US$ 2 billion (Shs 7.7trillion) pledged by the rest of the world. Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and South Africa all increased their funding by 30 percent. A notable contribution came from the Republic of Korea which increased its contribution by 300 percent to US$ 100 million (Shs 385.9 billion). 

Developing countries, many tackling large HIV epidemics also stepped up in support of the Global Fund. Burkina Faso increased its contribution by 100 percent, Uganda and Togo increased by 50 percent, Kenya by 40 percent, and Cote d’Ivoire by more than 30percent. The Central African Republic, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zimbabwe all made contributions to the Global Fund despite facing huge fiscal challenges, exacerbated by current global crises.

“I am truly humbled to see so many developing countries, that are themselves facing multiple crises, and yet still made increased pledges to the Global Fund. I commend them,” said Ms Byanyima.

France, the European Commission and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation all made important contributions to the Global Fund while Canada made an additional pledge of CAD 100 million for pandemic preparedness and called for increased financial contributions to UNAIDS and other partners working to end AIDS, TB and malaria.

Two major donors are still to pledge, the UK and Italy, both of whom reiterated their support to the Global Fund and indicated they will be pledging in the coming weeks. UNAIDS urges them to match the 30% increase of their peers to get closer to the Global Fund US$ 18 billion (Shs 69.4trillion)  target. 

This replenishment has mobilized the biggest global commitment to the Global Fund to date, in a context where challenging currency fluctuations made significantly increased contributions from European donors less visible when counting pledges in US dollars. 

UNAIDS congratulates Donald Kaberuka, Chair of the Global Fund Board and Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. This achievement is a strong endorsement of their leadership of the Global Fund by member states and private donors, and of our collective efforts to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. 

The HIV pandemic remains a global crisis claiming a life every minute but ending AIDS by 2030 is possible if countries continue to be bold in their financial contributions and work together to tackle inequalities. The actions needed to end AIDS will help protect the health and rights of everyone, strengthen economic development, and leave the world better prepared for future pandemic risks.

UNAIDS will continue to work closely with the Global Fund in a joint effort to end AIDS. Since the creation of the Global Fund in 2002, UNAIDS has supported more than 100 countries in leveraging and implementing Global Fund resources—ensuring the funds are available and reach the people most in need.

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