By Alex Pithua 

The Ministry of Health (MoH) with support from Plan International trained 800 VHTs in Zombo district, marking a major milestone to strengthen Ebola surveillance response and reporting as Uganda confirmed outbreak on 15th May 2026.

During the two-day training, the community health workers were empowered with skills and knowledge about Ebola, how it spread, how to conduct screening, self-protection, community sensitization about Ebola, risk communication, coordination, reporting signs and symptoms among others.

Speaking during the training at Community Hall in Zombo district headquarters, Dr Ronald Miria Ocaatre the Assistant Commissioner, Health Promotion at the MoH reminded the VHTs about their roles in supporting health system in Uganda.

Dr Ocaatre urged the VHTS to be vigilant and report strange health conditions at their respective village "Any strange thing that's happening just report." "You're the first respondent on daily basis." He stressed

He told the VHTS to sensitize community to avoid attending to markets in the DR Congo at this period as Uganda is at alert to contain Ebola spread, "avoid markets in DR Congo, report any person who presents with fever to nearest health facility for professional screening."

Dr. Ocaatre thanked Plan International and other partners for supporting MoH efforts to contain Ebola in Uganda calling upon more support to train more VHTs to boost Community Based Surveillance and Reporting.

Ebola status in Uganda by press time:

20 cumulative confirmed cases, 15 imported cases, 5 local cases, 3 current administrations, 15 recoveries and 2 cumulative deaths.

Zombo district, Arua district and Arua city are very high-risk areas due to proximity with Bunia in DR Congo with is the epicenter of the outbreak of Ebola pandemic.

Dr Mark Bramali Bonny, the Zombo district Health Officer (DHO) revealed that the district has 1625 VHTS adding that 9 Sub-counties are at the border of DR Congo.

Christine Mawurado, Umore Village Athuma Subcounty, confirmed community myth and poor traditional about Ebola and to sensitizing the masses about reality of epidemic.

Obodgiu Agore East Village, Oyeyu parish, Nyapea sub-county commended the government of Uganda for strong public health emergency response and prioritizing training community health workers to support the surveillance.

800 VHTS trained in Zombo district to conduct Ebola surveillance and reporting in community (Photo by Alex Pithua)

VHTs training session on PPEs in Zombo district's health boardroom. (Photo by Alex Pithua)

Pithua Alex is news editor at Zoomer Africa your number one grassroot information hub for African news trends and updates.