Japan International Cooperation Agency
Share
  • 日本語
  • English
  • Français
  • Espanol
  • Home
  • About JICA
  • News & Features
  • Countries & Regions
  • Our Work
  • Publications
  • Investor Relations

Press Releases

August 26, 2019

Provision of disinfectants and other goods to prevent infection from Ebola virus disease in Uganda: Collaboration with Japanese companies

photoTrying to use alcohol hand sanitizer
photoTraining for using alcohol hand sanitizer

On Aug. 19, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted hospital infection prevention training in the Republic of Uganda and provided the country with supplies for preventing infection with the Ebola virus.

Ebola virus disease has been epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which neighbors Uganda, since 2018 and on July 18, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

A case of Ebola virus disease was confirmed in June this year in Uganda, which has received a large influx of refugees from and has extensive cross-border traffic with the DRC. The Ugandan Ministry of Health has been working to prevent the disease from becoming epidemic in Uganda thorough immigration control, disease monitoring, and vaccination of health workers and to prevent the epidemic from spreading since last year. Since then, both Uganda’s Ministry of Health and the WHO have requested emergency disease prevention assistance from JICA.

In response, JICA together with Uganda's Ministry of Health, WHO and Saraya Manufacturing (U) Ltd. (see Note 1) are now providing training on the current disease situation and risks and precautions to be taken when transporting suspected patients to 41 health care professionals working to prevent hospital-acquired infections in the 23 Ugandan counties that are most at risk. In addition, JICA has provided used vehicles to Uganda’s Ministry of Health for use in disease monitoring and alcohol hand sanitizer for use in preventing hospital-acquired infections to health care facilities in the 23 districts.

In order to reinforce health services, JICA is currently implementing “The Project on Improvement of Health Service through Health Infrastructure Management (2)” in main regional hospitals throughout Uganda. JICA will continue providing Uganda with support for its efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as Ebola.


(Note 1) The local subsidiary is Saraya East Africa. The company began producing and selling alcohol hand sanitizer in Uganda in March 2014.

PAGE TOP

Copyright © Japan International Cooperation Agency