The World Health Organization in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Uganda, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ), and the East African Community has concluded a week-long scoping mission to tailor the country’s capacity to implement the flagship initiatives on Epidemic Preparedness and Response (ERP).

Bringing together a diverse group of health experts and stakeholders from the African region, the mission aimed to raise awareness among government and critical stakeholders of EPR flagship initiatives, and to assess Uganda's preparedness to respond to epidemics and public health emergencies. It also identified existing resources, gaps, and priorities to inform the development of a two-year roadmap for health security.

"Uganda has made significant strides in epidemic preparedness and emergency response, but there is always room for improvement. The Scoping Mission provides an opportunity to enhance our capacity and better protect the health of our people," noted Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, Minister of Health in Uganda.

The initiatives are part of the WHO regional Strategy for Health Security and Emergencies 2022-2030, which aims to strengthen member states capacities to effectively prepare, detect and respond to public health emergencies through three flagship programmes. These are Promoting the resilience of systems for emergencies (PROSE), Transforming African Surveillance Systems (TASS), and Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE).

"Strengthening epidemic preparedness and response is part of our goal to support the country in improving its healthcare system to prevent and address public health emergencies more effectively. The findings of this mission will guide our collaborative efforts in the coming years", said Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, WHO Representative to Uganda. He added that the cost of building capacity and getting prepared for emergencies is much lower than the cost of emergency response especially if the country is not well prepared.

The mission assessed the Ugandan healthcare system, health laboratories, medical supply chain, and public health infrastructure. It served as a platform to advocate for high-level investment in preparedness, detection, and response to public health emergencies.

According to the mission’s lead Dr. Alemu Wondimagegnehu, this scoping mission represents a crucial step in safeguarding the health and well-being of the Ugandan population and strengthening the country's resilience to emerging health threats.

Dr. Alemu further emphasized the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders involved in epidemic response and encouraged a coordinated approach to ensure a swift and effective response to future public health events.

Moving forward, and based on the results of the assessment, the mission will develop a set of recommendations that will inform a two-year roadmap informing actions tailored to Uganda's specific needs to strengthen epidemic preparedness and emergency response and will contribute to the country's national Action Plan for Health Security.