The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | A $24.5 million regional initiative aimed at boosting pandemic prevention and response in one of Africa’s most biodiverse and vulnerable regions was launched in Kampala.
The Strengthening One Health Preparedness, Prevention, and Response in the Greater Virunga Landscape (SOHGVL) project is funded by the World Bank Group’s Pandemic Fund. It will be implemented jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF, in collaboration with the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and Gorilla Doctors.
Spanning Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL) is a global biodiversity hotspot but also a high-risk zone for zoonotic disease outbreaks. Frequent human-wildlife interaction, deforestation, and weak health systems have heightened the risk of pandemics. Past outbreaks such as Ebola, Marburg, and COVID-19 have underscored the urgent need for stronger preparedness and coordinated regional action.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, who officiated at the launch, said the project comes at a critical time.
“Diseases do not know boundaries, and neither do animals. The Greater Virunga area is one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site”.
“ This project will help us achieve a balance where humans and wildlife can coexist safely while protecting public health. Parliament stands ready to support this initiative to protect lives, livelihoods, and biodiversity,” he said.
The launch brought together representatives from government ministries, local governments, civil society, and development partners. It followed two days of technical planning meetings, which reviewed Uganda’s preparedness gaps under the International Health Regulations in three key areas: laboratory systems, surveillance, and human resource development. Stakeholders also identified coordination mechanisms and priorities for the rollout of the project.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. William Bazeyo urged countries and partners to embrace innovation in tackling future health threats.
“We must strengthen our collective ability to detect and predict complex health emergencies by leveraging data and building future-ready skills including using Artificial Intelligence,” he said.
Building on FAO’s One Health experience
The One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health, will form the backbone of the project. FAO has been advancing this model in Uganda alongside WHO, UNEP, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), FAO has supported disease surveillance systems, built veterinary public health capacity, and assisted in rapid responses to outbreaks such as viral hemorrhagic fevers, anthrax, and zoonotic avian influenza.
This expertise, officials said, will be instrumental in linking health systems across borders and strengthening community-level engagement.
During a panel discussion, Dr. Mohammed Shamsuddin, Senior Animal Production Health Officer at FAO’s Regional Office for Africa, highlighted the risks that fragile ecosystems pose to human health.
“Without healthy animals and sustainable food systems, human health risks increase, especially in areas with fragile ecosystems like the Greater Virunga Landscape”.
“ FAO provides the technical link between wildlife, livestock, and food production, which is key for preventing and responding to pandemics,” he said.
Project goals and reach
The SOHGVL project, set to run from June 2025 to December 2027, will prioritize three main objectives:
- Strengthening surveillance and early warning systems across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
- Building regional and community capacity for One Health coordination.
- Reducing the risk of zoonotic spillovers through sustainable natural resource management.
In Uganda, the project will focus on 11 high-risk districts bordering protected areas — including Bundibugyo, Kasese, Kabale, Kisoro, and Ntoroko — where the interaction between humans and wildlife is most intense.
Officials said the initiative will enhance cross-border collaboration, promote sustainable land-use practices, and deliver early warning systems that detect and contain health threats before they escalate into crises.
The Greater Virunga project, they added, will serve as a model for how regional cooperation, science-driven solutions, and community engagement can work together to reduce pandemic risks while safeguarding biodiversity.
