By Tumwine Byaruhanga
The United Arab Emirates has eased precautionary entry measures imposed on Ugandan nationals in June following the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.
The decision was announced on September 26 by the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.
UAE authorities said the decision followed an assessment of the Ebola situation in Uganda and the end of the outbreak after completion of the internationally established monitoring period.
The restrictions were introduced on June 6 and affected nationals of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
The UAE suspended the issuance of new visas to nationals of the three countries. Travellers arriving from the affected countries were also restricted from entering the UAE unless they had spent at least 21 days outside them.
Uganda challenged the restrictions at the time, arguing that the measures did not reflect the situation on the ground.
The country’s cases were linked to the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with infected people crossing into Uganda, including patients who sought medical treatment in Kampala.
According to the World Health Organization, Uganda had recorded 20 confirmed cases by July 14. Fifteen were imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo, while five were secondary infections involving contacts and health workers linked to the imported cases.
WHO reported that there was no community transmission in Uganda.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health argued that blanket travel restrictions were disproportionate and could penalise countries that quickly detect and report outbreaks.
The restrictions also went beyond WHO recommendations. When the outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, WHO advised countries against general travel and trade restrictions, recommending surveillance, contact monitoring, isolation of cases and exit screening in affected areas instead.
Uganda subsequently contained the transmission chains and completed the required monitoring period without further cases.
The Ministry of Health said investigations had established the source and route of introduction of the virus, while surveillance found no unexplained community transmission.
