The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), together with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening community-based Ebola preparedness following a two-day monitoring mission in the border districts of Kasese and Bundibugyo.
The high-level delegation was led by IFRC Head of Country Office Loise Daintrey and included IFRC Uganda Country Office Manager Henry Musembi, URCS Director of Health and Social Services Dr. Josephine Okwera, URCS Director of Operations, Dr. Harriet R. Kagoya, Kasese Deputy Resident District Commissioner Mate Magwara, Kasese District Health Officer Dr. Simon Bwambale, Bundibugyo District Health Educator Majid Bagonza Abdallah, and Bundibugyo Assistant District Health Officer Bagonza Godfrey.
The mission assessed the effectiveness of the Ebola preparedness and response interventions implemented by URCS and its partners while gathering lessons to strengthen future public health emergency responses.
Although Uganda has been declared Ebola-free, the delegation observed that the continued Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), coupled with frequent cross-border movement through official and unofficial entry points, continues to pose a significant public health risk. Stakeholders stressed that maintaining surveillance, community engagement and preparedness remains critical.
In Kasese District, the delegation visited Mpondwe Point of Entry, one of Uganda’s busiest border crossings with the DRC, where they assessed screening operations, infection prevention measures and risk communication activities.
The team also toured the Ebola Treatment Unit at Bwera Hospital, where discussions focused on strengthening case management, ambulance decontamination systems and overall preparedness.
The delegation later met URCS community volunteers supporting Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Community-Based Surveillance (CBS). Volunteers shared experiences from the field, highlighting challenges including heavy rains, persistent misinformation, illegal border crossings through porous routes and the need for additional trained volunteers and protective equipment to sustain operations.
Earlier, the delegation held discussions with Kasese district leadership, including the District Health Officer and the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, who commended URCS and partners for supporting surveillance, volunteer training, school-based risk communication, screening activities and logistics throughout the response. 
District leaders noted that existing response structures established during previous Ebola outbreaks enabled a rapid and coordinated response when the current outbreak emerged.
In Bundibugyo District, the delegation visited Busunga Point of Entry before meeting community volunteers in Nyahuka Sub-county, where they interacted with frontline responders supporting disease surveillance, health promotion and community awareness.
The team also participated in engagements with district leaders and the District Task Force, where discussions focused on sustaining preparedness beyond the emergency phase. District officials appreciated URCS’ active participation in coordination mechanisms, particularly through the RCCE and Surveillance pillars, while highlighting operational gaps requiring continued support, including inadequate sanitation facilities at points of entry, contaminated water sources for handwashing, limited infrastructure for screening equipment and the need for sustained coordination resources.
Throughout the visit, district leaders praised URCS for supporting volunteer training, strengthening sub-county task forces, conducting school and community risk communication, supporting emergency medical services and promoting community ownership of preparedness activities.
Speaking during the monitoring mission, Henry Musembi, IFRC Uganda Country Office Manager, reaffirmed IFRC’s continued support to Uganda’s preparedness efforts.
“Through, URCS, IFRC will continue supporting readiness activities until the situation in the DRC stabilises and the response transitions into recovery. Strengthening cross-border collaboration remains essential because disease outbreaks do not respect borders.”
URCS Director of Operations, Performance, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting, Dr. Harriet R. Kagoya, emphasised the importance of maintaining preparedness despite Uganda’s Ebola-free status.
“The risk remains because of the numerous porous border routes. We must continue documenting evidence, strengthening preparedness and supporting communities to remain vigilant.”
The monitoring mission further established that URCS’ long-standing presence in communities, strong volunteer network and close collaboration with district authorities continue to build trust and strengthen local ownership of public health interventions. Stakeholders also recognised community volunteers and Village Health Teams as trusted gatekeepers who play a vital role in early warning, health promotion and disease surveillance.
The delegation concluded that while significant progress has been made, continued investment in community-based surveillance, volunteer support, risk communication, WASH interventions and cross-border preparedness will remain essential to safeguarding Uganda against future Ebola outbreaks.