By Ongaga Ongaga
The East African Community (EAC) has agreed to harmonize Ebola screening and surveillance measures at airports, seaports and land border crossings across the region as member states move to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The decision was reached during the 8th Extraordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health held virtually on June 1-2, where ministers reviewed the evolving Ebola situation and mapped out a coordinated regional response.
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The ministers expressed concern over the continued transmission of the virus and emphasized the need for collective action to prevent cross-border spread.
To strengthen preparedness, partner states were directed to implement surveillance and control measures at affected areas, points of entry and porous borders in line with national regulations and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
“The ongoing outbreak underscores the need for collective action to prevent further cross-border transmission within the region,” the ministers said.
The meeting also resolved to establish an EAC Regional Technical Taskforce on Ebola Response and other high-consequence diseases. The taskforce will comprise experts nominated by partner states and the EAC Secretariat and will monitor the outbreak, coordinate technical interventions, review epidemiological trends and provide regular reports to policymakers.
Member states were instructed to nominate two health experts and one expert from ministries responsible for EAC affairs to serve on the taskforce.
As of June 1, 2026, the DRC had reported 121 confirmed Ebola cases and 1,077 suspected cases, with 17 confirmed deaths and 246 deaths among suspected cases. Uganda had recorded 11 confirmed cases and one death. Health officials have identified 642 contacts linked to the outbreak, with 638 still under active follow-up.
In a bid to strengthen surveillance and laboratory capacity, ministers directed partner states to sustain the deployment of EAC mobile laboratories and technical experts at strategic border points and identified hotspots.
“The Secretariat should mobilize additional financial and technical resources to support surveillance and response activities and expedite the procurement and deployment of container laboratories across the region,” the meeting resolved.
Ten EAC mobile laboratories are already operational in the DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Tanzania, supporting rapid testing and detection of suspected Ebola cases.
The ministers further directed the EAC Secretariat to mobilize resources for training frontline healthcare workers on Ebola prevention, preparedness and response. They also called for refresher training for members of the East African Community Pool of Rapidly Deployable Experts.
To bolster outbreak response efforts, Germany’s Development Bank (KfW) committed EUR 1 million for the deployment of mobile laboratories, procurement of diagnostic supplies and training of laboratory personnel.
The ministers also welcomed plans to accelerate regional approval of Ebola vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics and instructed the Secretariat to develop a comprehensive regional Ebola contingency, response and recovery plan.
Reaffirming their commitment to regional solidarity, the ministers called on development partners and stakeholders to continue supporting efforts to strengthen preparedness, surveillance and response capacities across East Africa.
