KAMPALA (Uganda) – The Swedish government has announced a 7.5 billion shilling (approximately 2 million USD) contribution to UNICEF to support Uganda’s response to the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease outbreak.
The funding, revealed by Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa during a visit to Kampala, will be used over the next five months to bolster the national response plan.
“Sweden has supported response to previous Ebola outbreaks in Uganda. We are glad to partner with UNICEF to provide critical support to the ongoing response,” Dousa said.
UNICEF Representative to Uganda Robin Nandy thanked the Swedish government for the funding, saying it would strengthen the national response plan and help contain the outbreak.
“The Swedish government’s contribution is timely and crucial in supporting our efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak,” Nandy said. “We are committed to working closely with the government and other partners to ensure that the outbreak is brought under control as quickly as possible.”
The funding will support intensified risk communication, infection prevention, and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions, among others. Approximately 8.1 million people are expected to benefit from these interventions.
UNICEF is also supporting emergency treatment units, vaccination rollout, and provision of lifesaving supplies, and is co-chairing key response pillars.
The Ebola outbreak in Uganda has so far resulted in several confirmed cases and deaths. The government has implemented various measures to contain the outbreak, including quarantine and contact tracing.
