The Ugandan government has criticized travel restrictions imposed by several countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates, in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak linked to neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), describing the measures as unfair and disproportionate.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health raised concerns over the restrictions despite widespread international recognition of the country’s swift and effective response to the outbreak. Since the alert was raised in mid-May, Uganda has recorded only 19 confirmed cases and two deaths, with the majority of infections involving Congolese nationals who crossed the border from the DRC.
Speaking on the issue, the Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine, revealed that government officials, the Civil Aviation Authority, ambassadors, and airline operators met to discuss the implications of the travel measures.
“While we appreciate the need for vigilance, blanket restrictions undermine confidence in countries that report outbreaks openly and are not commensurate with the actual risk,” she stated.
The outbreak has been significantly more severe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health authorities have confirmed more than 676 cases and 136 deaths since May 15.
Despite the travel restrictions, Uganda’s handling of the outbreak has received praise from global health authorities. During a recent visit to the country, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commended Uganda’s public health response and containment measures.
However, the WHO has warned that the outbreak continues to spread into new regions of the DRC, raising concerns about cross-border transmission and regional health security.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and close human interaction.
Over the past five decades, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have claimed more than 15,000 lives, making it one of the continent’s most deadly infectious diseases.
As health authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak, Uganda has called for evidence-based public health measures and greater international cooperation rather than broad travel restrictions that could negatively impact trade, tourism, and regional mobility.
