Uganda Steps Up Border Monitoring To Stop The Spread Of The Mpox

Uganda has increased surveillance in its border regions with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a hotspot for the virus, in an effort to stop mpox from entering the nation.

According to Uganda’s Ministry of Health, there aren’t any active mpox cases at the moment. The two imported cases that were diagnosed in late July were successfully treated and came to an end.

The government has so far identified over 20 districts along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo as having a high risk of mpox transmission. To aid in the better detection and isolation of suspected cases, Uganda’s health officials have also launched a statewide training program for healthcare professionals.

Emmanuel Ainebyoona, a senior public relations officer at the ministry, stated, “We have already intensified our risk communication for prevention. We have also ensured that our laboratory systems are triggered to ensure that they are quick to pick any suspected cases for testing.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised fears about the possibility of increased global spread of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, last Wednesday when it declared the disease a public health emergency of international concern.

Uganda is currently in communication with WHO in order to obtain potentially life-saving mpox vaccinations as part of the nation’s response and readiness strategy against the viral illness.