WHO is closely supporting the Government-led response to the Ebola disease outbreak, which was declared in Uganda on the 20th September 2022. WHO’s rapid response teams (RRTs) are heading up the response by providing advice, supplies and specialists
to reduce deaths.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, 840 rapid response team (RRT) members were trained by WHO in Uganda to support the country’s response to the health emergency. This training was again called upon when the outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Sudan Virus
was declared in Uganda on 20th September, 2022.
60 RRT members were quickly deployed to districts with reported cases, including Kassanda and Kyegegwa, as well as Masaka city and the capital Kampala. Trained by the WHO, RRT staff have also carried out risk communication and contract tracing, preparing
for any potential new infections in districts with no cases yet.
Maureen Nyonyintono, an Epidemiologist in the WHO’s Uganda Office, explains the crucial role RRTs play during health emergencies: “The rapid response teams are the first responders when we have emergencies. They support all aspects of the
emergency response. These standby teams readily responded in the first week of the outbreak and have since contributed technically to the Ebola response. Their role is absolutely essential.”
Hilda Wesonga is part of the RRT deployed to Mubende and Kassanda districts, where the first cases were reported. Taking the necessary precautions, she travels from one village to another to share updates on the current Ebola outbreak. Sometimes, Hilda
also features on radio talk-shows where she answers listeners’ questions about the disease such as how they can protect themselves and where to seek care.
In two months, Hilda and her colleagues reached over 25,000 people in Mubende and Kassanda districts. She says: “Everywhere I have gone, people are satisfied. The awareness is high. We are now dealing with behavioural change, which takes time.”
The collective efforts of everyone involved in the response, including the WHO RRTs, have resulted in the outbreak slowing in November with some districts reporting no cases.
