The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Why bloc is banking on Uganda to build a health security buffer for the East and Horn of Africa region
Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | On Aug.29, health officials and regional leaders from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) gathered in Kampala to mark a turning point in Africa’s fight against pandemics.
The IGAD) meeting that included its international development partners had months earlier chosen Uganda to launch its Preparedness for Pandemic Response (PREPARE) Project, a three-year, US$ 31.9 million (Approx. Shs 113.5bn) initiative, that is looking at strengthening epidemic resilience in the East and Horn of Africa region using the “One Health” model.
And the symbolism of Uganda acting as the launchpad of the project was not lost on anyone. “Why Uganda?” asked Dr. Fatuma Adan, the PREPARE Project Lead and IGAD’s Head of Mission for Kenya.
“Uganda is the gateway to neighbouring countries like DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) -countries that are prone to a lot of epidemics and pandemics,” she said.
Dr Adan’s words captured the essence of IGAD’s strategy: Uganda is both the gateway to the bloc and the buffer against epidemic spillovers from the DRC, a country long plagued by Ebola, cholera, Mpox, and other infectious diseases.
The IGAD bloc comprises eight countries in a region that stretches from the Red Sea to the Great Lakes region of Africa. These include; Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The bloc straddles a geographical area of about 5.2 sq km and has a population of over 300 million people. It’s a bloc that is currently grappling with several development challenges including; peace and security deficit, climate change, humanitarian crisis, as well as health emergency threats.
The geography of risk
Geography makes Uganda a frontline state, but it is also a gateway. As a land bridge between the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa, Uganda links South Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia with the DRC. Goods, refugees, pastoralists, and informal traders move daily across its borders. But, the same routes that fuel commerce and social exchange also create corridors for viruses and other dangerous pathogens.
Experts like Dr. Allan Muruta, the Commissioner for Integrated Epidemiology, Surveillance and Public Health Emergencies at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, say cross-border movement of traders, refugees, and pastoralists creates an open corridor for pathogens.
This is why IGAD views Uganda as a firewall. It is the first line of defence, absorbing shocks that might otherwise cascade into fragile member states such as Somalia or South Sudan, where health systems are already stretched to breaking point.
The DRC factor looms large in this strategy. For decades, Congo has been the scene of relentless infectious disease outbreaks. Its thick equatorial forests are reservoirs for zoonotic diseases, while conflict and weak infrastructure hamper response efforts. Uganda cannot afford complacency. Every outbreak in eastern DRC is a direct threat across the border.
IGAD’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu (PhD), said: “Uganda has been selected as the launching point for this initiative precisely because of its strategic importance as a frontline state and its exemplary track record in managing health emergencies.” In other words, if Uganda falters, the entire bloc stretching from the Red Sea to the Great Lakes could face devastating consequences.
A proven responder
However, Uganda is not just geographically exposed; it is also battle-tested. In 2022, when Ebola struck for the seventh time, the country mounted a swift and coordinated response that stamped out the outbreak in just 68 days -one of the fastest containment efforts globally.
That reputation was reinforced in 2024–2025 when Uganda faced an outbreak of Mpox. With support from the first phase of IGAD’s PREPARE project, the country received laboratory supplies, vehicles, motorcycles for sample transport, and ICT equipment worth about US$ 700,000. These supplies helped Uganda strengthen its diagnostic reach, improve digital surveillance, and isolate cases before the disease could spread across borders. Such experiences make Uganda not just a recipient of support but a regional model for preparedness and resilience.
Dr. Gebeyehu noted that Uganda’s engagement with IGAD exemplifies the importance of regional cooperation. He said over the past eight months alone, from January this year, IGAD has implemented 36 distinct activities across Uganda, representing a total investment of approximately US$2.9 million in 2025 and a further US$2.5 million in 2024 leveraging Uganda’s contribution to IGAD.
During the official launch of the PREPARE project in Kampala, more resources worth about US$650,000 were given to Uganda’s Ministry of Health, including; three vehicles, ten motorcycles, 150 isolation centre beds, comprehensive laboratory supplies, and disease surveillance equipment for Ebola and Mpox response. “The equipment we officially transfer to the Ministry of Health today embody IGAD’s commitment that no member state faces health emergencies alone,” Dr. Gebeyehu said.
He said the handover is part of IGAD’s broader US$ 31.9 million dollar PREPARE Project investment, leveraging an additional US$4.3 million in co-investment, working alongside their valued partners in the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the Pandemic Fund.
“As we have done for Uganda, IGAD commits to providing equivalent support to all our member states,” he said, adding that, each of the seven members of IGAD will receive the same amount of comprehensive assistance, ensuring standardized training, equipment, and capacity building across the IGAD family.
“Our approach to regional resilience must be inclusive, equitable, and comprehensive,” he said. “Through PREPARE, we are building bridges of preparedness that span borders, creating a shield of regional resilience that will protect our people from the next pandemic, whenever and wherever it may emerge.”
In addition, Uganda will also be equipped with integrated systems to detect outbreaks at entry points along the DRC border. Special cross-border surveillance teams and a unified digital platform will further allow early warning before diseases spread.
With strong facilities like the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe and Makerere University, the east african nation will also become a hub in IGAD’s planned regional laboratory network, reducing delays in confirming cases and standardize responses across borders.
According to the PREPARE Project Lead, Dr. Adan, the multi-sectoral project will be implemented in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC).
“This project takes the multi-sectoral one health approach, that is; we are working on ensuring that we lead our programmes of medical health, human health, environmental health, wildlife health and soil health,” she said.
The resources will be drawn from the Pandemic Fund through the World Health Organization (WHO), which is also the implementing entity. According to Dr Adan, the UN health agency will provide the technical and financial backstopping to the programme. “The other partner, the IFRC will work with national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to implement community-level activities,” Dr. Adan said.
“At the centre of these are the member states, and that is why we are here to secure the blessings to ensure that we bring or convene the One Health Plan; the Ministries of Health, Livestock, Environment, Wildlife together, so that we ensure that this programme is at the centre of our member states’ institutions.”
One Health at the core
Underlying IGAD’s entire strategy is the One Health approach, which recognizes that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are interdependent. In a region where most emerging infections are zoonotic, this approach is not an option; it is essential.
Mohamed Ali Mohamed, the Secretary General in Djibouti’s Ministry of Health said IGAD’s launch of PREPARE project is “not a simple formality.” “It constitutes the starting point of a collective commitment, a call for action that addresses all involved actors, governments, experts, regional institutions, technical and financial partners as well as the communities themselves,” he said.
He said the “One Health approach” is so significant in this project in a sense that it recognizes the deep links between human health, animal health and the health of the overall ecosystems.
“When health threats emerge at the interface of these domains, it is imperative to adopt a holistic vision to anticipate and contain crises before they become uncontrollable,” he said.
“In a context of increasing pressure, whether it is zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, climate change or trans-frontal mobility, inaction or fragmentation of our efforts are no longer viable options.”
So far, Uganda has already hosted most of the 291 health experts trained under PREPARE, leveraging on its universities and infrastructure as both a capacity hub and a training ground for the wider region.
Yet, even as Uganda earns praise, its health security capacities remain uneven. According to the 2023 Joint External Evaluation of International Health Regulations compliance, only 4% of indicators were assessed as having sustainable capacity, while nearly a third still languished at limited capacity. That means Uganda’s systems are functional but fragile.
A severe outbreak could quickly overwhelm them, with consequences for the wider IGAD region. This is where PREPARE is expected to make a difference. By targeting the weak points–especially cross-border surveillance, laboratory networking, and workforce training–IGAD hopes to lift Uganda to a level where it can truly anchor regional preparedness.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda’s Minister of Health, said: “The PREPARE project has come in timely to fill in the existing gaps in information sharing, workforce capacity building, strengthening cross-border surveillance, laboratory capacities, research enhancement, and multisector collaboration.”
A firewall for the region
IGAD’s investment is not just about shoring up Uganda’s defences; it is about addressing vulnerabilities that, if left unattended, could destabilize the entire bloc. At the Kampala event, the message was clear that pathogens know no borders. “No country is safe until all are safe,” the Ministerial Communiqué declared.
Dr Kasonde Mwinga, the WHO Country Representative in Uganda said “by investing in resilient health systems, enhancing cross-border collaboration, and embracing the One Health approach, we are ensuring that countries across the IGAD region are better prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to future pandemics. No country is safe until all are safe.”
Charles Businge, the Africa Regional Director at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) said: “National Societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent are extremely proud to partner with national governments, IGAD, and WHO in this important programme investing in community, cross-border, national, and regional epidemic and pandemic preparedness.
He added: “Funding from the Pandemic Fund has enabled us to expand response and prevention efforts for the MPox outbreak in the region. It will also leverage our unparalleled community outreach to scale up preparedness and strengthen systems for future epidemics, in close support of public authorities.”
The road ahead
Still, the challenges remain daunting. Uganda’s systems need consistent investment, not just emergency injections. Its laboratory network requires sustained upgrading, and its cross-border surveillance must adapt to constantly shifting mobility patterns. And above all, the One Health approach must be mainstreamed across ministries, budgets, and political commitments.
But the foundation is being laid. Uganda has embraced its role, and IGAD has made the strategic choice to back it. Going by the speeches of the senior health officials in the IGAD region, the PREPARE project is more than just a health initiative, it is a regional insurance policy.
As outbreaks continue to emerge in DRC and beyond, Uganda will likely face the first test. The question is whether it can transform from being an epidemic hotspot into a true regional shield. The stakes are high but for IGAD, the bet is clear: the road to pandemic resilience in the Horn of Africa runs through Kampala.
