Africa’s leading public health agency has called on the United States to lift travel restrictions on Uganda, saying the country has made significant progress in controlling its recent Ebola outbreak. Speaking at the African Union Health Summit in Ghana, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Jean Kaseya said Uganda had recorded three weeks without a new Ebola case and had discharged its final known patient earlier this month.
Kaseya argued that countries should not face international penalties for reporting disease outbreaks openly, warning that travel restrictions could discourage governments from sharing critical health information during future emergencies. The United States recently tightened travel measures affecting travelers from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan after Ebola cases spread across parts of the region. While opposing broad travel bans, Kaseya expressed serious concern over the situation in the DRC, where the outbreak has continued to worsen. Africa CDC reports that the country has recorded more than 2,300 confirmed Ebola cases and over 900 deaths since May, placing significant pressure on already strained health systems.
Africa CDC estimates that nearly US$1.4 billion is needed to strengthen the response, expand disease surveillance and contain the outbreak. The agency warned that without urgent international support and improved monitoring systems, the crisis could become one of the most severe Ebola outbreaks ever recorded. Health officials say Uganda’s progress demonstrates the importance of rapid detection, transparent reporting and coordinated response efforts in controlling deadly infectious diseases. Kaseya urged international partners to focus on strengthening Africa’s public health systems rather than imposing measures that could affect economies and discourage cooperation during health emergencies.
