Atwine Warns Border Officers Over Ebola Screening Lapses at Mpondwe

What the report says

Uganda’s Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, has cautioned security and immigration officers at the Mpondwe border in Kasese District over what the ministry described as weak screening and other lapses amid renewed concern about Ebola risk from the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to Nile Post, the warning was delivered during a stakeholder engagement at the border point, where Atwine said reports of irregular crossings showed that established procedures were not being consistently followed.

The ministry said the concern stems from reported Ebola cases in neighbouring Congo and the possibility of cross-border transmission into Uganda. Atwine urged officers to tighten checks, saying people should not be allowed to enter recklessly or through bribery, and she warned that officials who facilitate unauthorised entry could face accountability. She also raised concern that some travellers were allegedly using cargo trucks or other informal routes to cross into Uganda.

Nile Post reported that the ministry wants stronger coordination among security, immigration and health officials to improve surveillance, screening and preparedness at border posts. Officials at the meeting also discussed a proposal for an Ebola treatment centre in Bulongo, about 45 kilometres from the border, to help manage suspected cases if needed.

The warning comes as the World Health Organisation continues to treat the risk of cross-border spread as high for countries sharing land borders with the DRC. Uganda’s experience with Ebola outbreaks has made border screening a key part of public health preparedness, especially at busy crossings such as Mpondwe.