Kampala, Uganda — A High-Level Ministerial Meeting convened in Kampala, Uganda, from May 22-23, 2026, brought together health ministers and representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of Uganda, and the Republic of South Sudan, alongside the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and other partners.
The meeting was held amidst a declared Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the DRC, with confirmed cases in Ituri and Nord-Kivu provinces as of May 20, 2026.
The WHO has raised the national risk assessment for the DRC to ‘very high’due to the outbreak, while maintaining a low global risk. Participants emphasized the need for regional solidarity, preparedness, and coordinated response to contain the outbreak and prevent further cross-border spread.
The Africa CDC has declared the BVD outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Key actions and commitments from the meeting included strengthening cross-border surveillance and early warning systems, harmonizing points of entry preparedness and population mobility monitoring, and enhancing laboratory and research capacity.
The meeting also focused on improving communication and information sharing among the affected countries and international partners.
The communiqué highlighted the importance of coordinated cross-border disease surveillance systems, event-based surveillance, joint contact tracing, active case finding, and real-time information sharing. It also emphasized the need for routine cross-border coordination meetings and harmonized reporting mechanisms.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation, as the porous borders, active trade and mining corridors, humanitarian crises, population displacement, insecurity, and limitations in surveillance and preparedness capacities at points of entry and border communities pose significant challenges to containing the spread of the virus.
The meeting serves as a reminder of the importance of investing in public health systems and strengthening preparedness and response capabilities.
The coordinated efforts of the affected countries and international partners are crucial in containing the outbreak and protecting the health of the region’s populations.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: reliefweb
Source: World Health Organization
