The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has expressed concern about the increase in Ebola cases in Uganda, despite the response of the country’s health authorities.
«The progress in containing Ebola in the original epicenter in Uganda is welcome, but the increase in cases in new geographic areas, including urban centers, is worrying,» Tedros said in a series of messages posted on his Twitter profile.
In this regard, the WHO chief warned that control of the virus «can be complex and requires coordinated and sustained efforts» in order to interrupt transmission.
Tedros recognized the work of the Ugandan Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, and welcomed the measure announced on Wednesday by her ministerial portfolio proposing vaccine candidate trials, to be held initially in Sudan.
«The participation of Ugandan researchers in these trials is key to building capacity for safe and effective vaccines,» said the Organization’s director general.
Tedros said cooperation between neighboring countries «is very important» because of the complexity of an Ebola response — which requires access to medical care and treatment, contact tracing, safe burials and vaccine trials — that «requires all stakeholders to work together openly and remain vigilant.»
«Working in solidarity and following the leadership of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, we can put an end to this outbreak,» said Tedros, who confirmed that WHO is supporting the needs of health authorities in the country.
«We are ready to deploy more experts to strengthen all aspects of the Ebola response in Uganda,» he added.
