Africa CDC Urges US to Lift Uganda Travel Restrictions as Ebola Outbreak Comes Under Control

Africa's leading public health agency has called on the United States to reconsider its travel restrictions on Uganda, arguing that the country has successfully contained its recent Ebola outbreak through swift public health measures and transparent reporting.

The appeal was made by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya during the African Union health summit held in Ghana. According to Kaseya, Uganda has now gone three consecutive weeks without recording a new Ebola infection, while the country's last remaining patient was discharged earlier this month. These developments, he said, demonstrate that Uganda's response has been effective and that the country no longer poses the level of public health risk that initially prompted international concern.

Kaseya stressed that countries should not be punished for promptly reporting disease outbreaks. He warned that imposing travel restrictions on nations that openly share health information could discourage transparency during future public health emergencies. According to the Africa CDC, rapid reporting and international cooperation remain essential tools for containing infectious diseases before they spread across borders.

The United States recently expanded travel restrictions affecting Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan following concerns about the spread of Ebola in parts of the region. While health officials understand the need to protect public health, Africa CDC believes restrictions should be based on the latest scientific evidence and adjusted as outbreaks come under control.

Although Uganda's situation has improved significantly, Kaseya warned that the Ebola crisis in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo continues to deteriorate. Since May, the DRC has recorded more than 2,300 confirmed Ebola cases and over 900 deaths, making it one of the region's most serious health emergencies in recent years. The continued rise in infections has raised fears that the outbreak could spread further if additional resources are not mobilized quickly.

Africa CDC estimates that nearly $1.4 billion is urgently needed to strengthen disease surveillance, expand emergency response efforts, improve treatment capacity, and support affected communities. Health experts say early detection, effective contact tracing, vaccination campaigns where available, and adequate funding are critical to preventing the virus from spreading further.

The agency also warned that without immediate international financial support and stronger collaboration among governments and global health organizations, the current outbreak could become the worst Ebola epidemic ever recorded in Africa. Public health officials continue to encourage countries to work together by sharing information, resources, and medical expertise to protect lives and prevent future outbreaks.

As global attention remains focused on emerging infectious diseases, Africa CDC maintains that transparency, science-based decision-making, and international cooperation will be key to ending the Ebola crisis while ensuring that countries taking responsible public health actions are supported rather than isolated.