Disaster Response Uganda Project #76349

Support Community-Led Ebola Containment in Uganda

by Development Alert

Support Community-Led Ebola Containment in Uganda

Project Report | Aug 16, 2026
Standing With Border Communities as Ebola Continue

By Zachery Onyango | Project Leader

Dear supporter,

Uganda's successful containment of Ebola has brought tremendous relief to communities across the country. With 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, Uganda was able to interrupt transmission and officially declare the outbreak over on 28 July 2026. This achievement reflects the extraordinary efforts of health workers, community volunteers, government authorities, local leaders, and partners who worked together to identify cases and prevent wider transmission.

Yet communities along the Uganda–Democratic Republic of Congo border remain concerned because Ebola continues to spread in the DRC. WHO's latest available figures, covering 12 August, record 4,665 confirmed cases in the DRC. The wider outbreak has recorded 2,186 deaths.

Development Alert continues to work with border communities to strengthen preparedness and ensure that the lessons learned during Uganda's outbreak are not lost. Community health volunteers and local leaders remain important sources of trusted information, particularly in villages where access to formal health facilities can be difficult.

Our interventions emphasize early reporting, community surveillance, hygiene promotion, health education, and strong communication with health facilities. We also continue encouraging communities to avoid stigma and misinformation, both of which can undermine disease-control efforts.

Markets, schools, transport stages, places of worship, and other community gathering points remain important spaces for sharing accurate information. Traders, transport operators, women, youth, and community leaders are encouraged to become active partners in preparedness.

The situation in the DRC demonstrates that Ebola can move quickly when detection and response systems are overwhelmed. By maintaining strong community networks in Uganda, we are helping ensure that any future alert can be identified and communicated rapidly.

Your support is helping border communities remain informed, vigilant, and resilient while standing in solidarity with families and frontline responders across the DRC.

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Aug 16, 2026
Uganda's Ebola-Free Milestone and the Urgent Need

By Zachery Onyango | Project Leader

Dear our beloved supporter,

Uganda has reached an important public health milestone by successfully ending its 2026 Ebola outbreak. The country recorded 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, and Uganda officially declared the outbreak over on 28 July after completing the required monitoring period. The last confirmed case was reported on 21 June, and the last patient was discharged from treatment on 16 July.

This achievement demonstrates the value of rapid detection, contact tracing, community engagement, infection prevention, and strong coordination between health authorities and grassroots organizations. However, Uganda's success does not mean that preparedness can stop.

Across the border, the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face an unprecedented Ebola emergency. As of 12 August, WHO reported 4,665 confirmed cases in the DRC and 2,186 deaths across the wider outbreak. The DRC outbreak has become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country, surpassing the previous 2018–2020 outbreak.

Development Alert continues supporting communities connected to the Uganda–DRC border through health education, community awareness, local alert systems, and preparedness activities. Community volunteers remain essential in helping families recognize concerning symptoms, report unusual illnesses, access reliable information, and maintain appropriate hygiene practices.

Our field activities remain important preparedness assets, enabling teams to reach remote communities quickly, conduct follow-up visits, and deliver essential educational and prevention materials.

Uganda's success gives us hope. The continuing emergency in the DRC reminds us why preparedness must remain active. Your support is helping protect Uganda's hard-won progress while strengthening the resilience of communities living closest to the ongoing regional crisis.

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Aug 16, 2026
From Uganda's Ebola Victory to Regional Solidarity

By Zachery Onyango | Project Leader

Dear Donor,

Uganda's Ebola-free declaration represents a major achievement, but it is also a reminder that public health security depends on cooperation beyond national borders. Uganda successfully contained its 2026 outbreak after recording 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. The last confirmed case was reported on 21 June, and the country officially declared the outbreak over on 28 July.

The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains extremely serious. As of 12 August, WHO reported 4,665 confirmed cases in the DRC, while the wider outbreak had recorded 2,186 deaths. The outbreak has become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC.

Development Alert believes Uganda's experience offers important lessons for neighboring communities. Early identification, strong contact tracing, trusted community engagement, rapid communication, and accessible response capacity can make a decisive difference.

Our continued work therefore focuses on protecting border communities through awareness, preparedness, and community engagement. We are strengthening relationships with local leaders and community volunteers while encouraging communities to maintain good hygiene and promptly communicate suspected health threats.

We are particularly committed to ensuring that vulnerable and remote communities are not overlooked. Poor roads, distance from health facilities, and limited transportation can create dangerous delays during emergencies. The field motorcycle purchased through donor support remains an important tool for reaching these communities and supporting rapid field activities.

Uganda's victory should give the region hope. At the same time, the scale of the DRC outbreak reminds us that the fight is not over.

We celebrate Uganda's achievement while standing with communities in the DRC. Continued donor support will help us maintain preparedness, strengthen grassroots health systems, protect border communities, and ensure that the lessons learned from Uganda's Ebola response continue saving lives.

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