Ugandan Health Ministry states Russian backing essential in stopping Ebola spread

(MENAFN) Uganda successfully contained its recent Ebola outbreak with crucial help from Russian experts, a health official from the country said on Tuesday.

Dr. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at Uganda’s Health Ministry, explained at a conference in Sochi that “the joint efforts with Russian partners, combined with swift containment and targeted measures” were key in preventing the disease from spreading across borders.

Atwine also stressed that the world is seeing more frequent and severe disease outbreaks due to a range of national and global factors.

Uganda declared the Ebola outbreak on January 30 after a 32-year-old nurse died from the disease at Mulago National Referral Hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 14 cases in total — 12 confirmed and 2 probable — with four deaths. The last patient was discharged on March 14.

In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced in February an additional $2 million to help control the outbreak.

Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s health agency, supported Uganda’s investigations and containment efforts and provided a mobile laboratory in 2024 to aid in the rapid testing of dangerous viruses.

Ebola is a highly contagious disease that can spread through contact with fluids or tissues of an infected person. Symptoms typically include fever, weakness, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and internal or external bleeding.

On the sidelines of the Sochi conference, Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor, also met with Burundi’s health minister, Liduine Baradahana. They discussed ongoing collaboration in biosafety and disease control. Burundi has two Biosafety Level 3 laboratories, supported by Russian aid, and a mobile laboratory was delivered in 2024.

Baradahana recognized the role Russian experts played in strengthening Burundi’s ability to respond to a recent monkeypox outbreak by improving its diagnostic capabilities.

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