Archival Sense
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
- 576
- 252
Director General of the Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya
The Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr. Jean Kaseya, has urged the United States to lift its Ebola related travel restrictions on Uganda, arguing that the country's public health situation no longer justifies the measures.
Speaking at a public health conference in Accra, Ghana, Dr. Kaseya revealed that he had formally written to US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., asking Washington to review and remove the restrictions in light of Uganda's progress in containing the outbreak.
US Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy
Uganda has not recorded a new Ebola infection in nearly a month, and its last confirmed patient was discharged on July 16. In line with World Health Organization guidelines, the country is now observing the mandatory 42 day countdown before it can officially be declared Ebola free.
Dr. Kaseya also called on African governments to support his appeal, saying a united continental voice is important in ensuring that countries responding effectively to disease outbreaks are not subjected to unnecessary restrictions.
While Uganda has recorded 20 Ebola cases during the current outbreak, her neighbour Democratic Republic of Congo has reported more than 2,400 cases, making it the epicentre of the regional outbreak.
The United States first introduced travel restrictions in May for travellers who had recently been in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The measures also apply to some travellers arriving from Uganda and South Sudan, and were tightened further last week.
Dr. Kaseya said lifting the restrictions on Uganda would reflect the country's progress in controlling the outbreak while allowing international efforts to remain focused on supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the epidemic continues to pose the greatest public health challenge.