Statement by Administrator Samantha Power on the Declaration of the End of the Ebola Outbreak in Uganda

The United States welcomes today’s declaration by the Government of Uganda and the World Health Organization that the Ebola outbreak in Uganda has ended after just three months. We commend the Ugandan government in leading efforts to put a swift end to the spread of the Sudan ebolavirus which spurred the outbreak, a major accomplishment in such a short time.

The United States was quick to support the Ugandan government’s response with immediate and life-saving assistance to the people of Uganda, helping contain the outbreak from spreading across borders. USAID provided more than $22 million for response efforts in Uganda, including contributions from our Emergency Reserve Fund for infectious disease outbreaks. These investments included providing seven million people with crucial information on recognizing symptoms of illness and preventing the spread of Ebola; delivering more than 15,500 sets of personal protective equipment and related supplies to protect doctors, nurses, community health workers and others on the front lines of the response; and offering mental health support and assistance for survivors to reintegrate back into their communities, where they often face stigma upon their return.

We also provided another $7 million to help neighboring countries—the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Sudan—prepare for a potential outbreak spread across borders.

As we celebrate this milestone, we extend our deepest sympathies to those who lost loved ones to this disease. This crisis was a reminder that we must redouble our efforts to prevent and urgently respond to infectious disease outbreaks, and the United States is committed to that goal. USAID recently announced an expansion to the U.S. global health security program in 50 countries—which included the establishment of an Outbreak Response Team that worked with the Uganda mission to coordinate the Ebola response. These investments are instrumental in saving lives by quickly containing public health threats.