Uganda Maintains Border Market Curbs Amidst Ebola Concerns from DRC

Uganda’s Ministry of Health is maintaining restrictions on border markets, even after the nation was declared free of the Ebola virus. This decision stems from the continued spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a neighboring country.

Minister of Health, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, explained to Parliament that opening these markets prematurely would pose a significant risk of reintroducing the virus. He stated that if the markets were reopened immediately, Uganda could see new cases within days.

Dr. Baryomunsi was responding to concerns raised by Hon. Mourine Osoru, the Woman MP for Arua City. She highlighted the economic hardship faced by border communities due to the disruption of cross-border trade and sought clarity on when the markets would resume operations.

While Uganda recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases during its outbreak, with 15 involving Congolese nationals who had entered the country, the situation in the DRC remains dire. The DRC has reported thousands of cases and a high death toll, with infections still on the rise.

To mitigate the risk, Uganda had previously deployed health workers and established treatment centers in the DRC to help contain the outbreak before it reached Uganda’s borders. The government has thus opted to keep restrictions on markets and other gatherings in border areas in place.

A review of these restrictions is scheduled for the upcoming week by the National Ebola Task Force, chaired by Vice President Jessica Alupo.

Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4546/government-maintains-border-market-restrictions-over-ebola-risk