Africa CDC Rejects Travel Bans Over Ebola Outbreak, Asks US to Lift Restrictions on Uganda
Dr. Kaseya specifically appealed to Washington to reconsider and lift the restrictions imposed on Uganda, noting that travel bans have never been part of Africa CDC’s outbreak response toolkit.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Deborah Were
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has spoken out against the imposition of travel bans following the fresh Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa, warning that such measures are counterproductive and not recommended.
Speaking at the African Union health summit in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday, Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya said the continental health body is not advising countries to restrict movement as a response to the outbreak.
“We are not advising travel bans,” Dr. Kaseya told delegates, in a clear message aimed at countries that have moved to tighten border controls.
His remarks come just days after the United States announced stricter travel restrictions on travellers originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan, following the escalation of the Ebola outbreak that is believed to have originated in eastern DRC.
The US restrictions, which include enhanced screening and visa limitations, were introduced as a precautionary measure to prevent importation of the virus. However, Africa CDC now says the move risks undermining the response.
Dr. Kaseya specifically appealed to Washington to reconsider and lift the restrictions imposed on Uganda, noting that travel bans have never been part of Africa CDC’s outbreak response toolkit.
According to the agency, such bans create a false sense of security while causing significant economic disruption, interfering with the movement of health workers and critical supplies, and discouraging affected countries from promptly sharing outbreak data.
Uganda, in particular, has been singled out for praise in previous outbreaks for its robust surveillance system and rapid response capacity, having successfully contained several Ebola outbreaks in recent years. Africa CDC argues that penalizing transparent countries sets a dangerous precedent.
Public health experts warn that Ebola is best contained through proven measures including early detection, isolation of cases, contact tracing, community engagement, infection prevention and control, and cross-border collaboration, rather than isolation of nations.
The current outbreak, centred in eastern DRC, has put the entire Great Lakes region on high alert, with neighbouring countries scaling up preparedness and screening at border points.
Africa CDC said it has deployed teams to support the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan to strengthen laboratory diagnostics, surveillance and risk communication, as health officials continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent further spread.
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