Uganda has issued a strong rebuttal to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) following Ebola outbreak figures referenced in an Al Jazeera report, escalating tensions over how regional health data is being communicated and interpreted.
Government spokesperson Allan Kasujja directly criticised Africa CDC, accusing the continental health body of contributing to what he termed “misleading framing” of the Ebola situation in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Africa CDC – we are tired of this malicious framing of what’s going on with Ebola,” Kasujja said in a sharply worded response. “You know better than this. The government of Uganda has been cooperating with you fully and considers you a partner. That’s why this statement is polite. Do the right thing.”
The remarks follow an Al Jazeera report that relied on Africa CDC-sourced data outlining the scale of the outbreak, which has affected parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and crossed into Uganda.
The report detailed confirmed infections in both countries and highlighted growing concern over cross-border transmission of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
According to the Africa CDC data cited in the coverage, the majority of confirmed and suspected cases remain concentrated in eastern DRC, while Uganda has recorded a smaller but closely monitored number of infections, some linked to movement across the porous border region.
The outbreak has prompted heightened surveillance measures in Uganda, including expanded contact tracing, tighter screening at border points, and coordination with regional health partners to limit further spread.
Health authorities have also intensified community awareness campaigns to improve early detection of symptoms.
Africa CDC, which serves as the African Union’s public health coordinating body, has been central in compiling and disseminating outbreak updates, working alongside national health ministries and the World Health Organization.
However, Kasujja’s comments reflect growing frustration within parts of Uganda’s government over how technical epidemiological updates are being interpreted in international media reports, particularly when they are framed in ways officials say may distort the country’s response efforts.
Uganda maintains that it continues to cooperate fully with Africa CDC and other partners, stressing that outbreak control depends on coordinated messaging, trust, and accurate representation of field data.