US steps up Ebola support to Uganda with delivery of antibody treatment

What the report says

The United States has delivered an experimental Ebola antibody treatment to Uganda as part of broader support for the country’s preparedness and response efforts, according to The Independent Uganda. The treatment, called MBP134, was handed over to Uganda’s Ministry of Health on Aug. 27 and was described by U.S. officials as ready for use if a new case is detected. Uganda currently has no active Ebola cases and was declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization on the same day, but U.S. officials said the situation in neighbouring eastern Democratic Republic of Congo still poses a regional risk.

The article says the handover was received by Dr. Charles Ayume, Uganda’s minister of state for health in charge of primary health care, while Mikael Cleverley, the U.S. Embassy’s chargé d’affaires in Uganda, framed the donation as part of continued health cooperation between the two countries. The report also says a senior U.S. delegation visited Uganda in July to review Ebola preparedness, including border screening, laboratory capacity, emergency operations and coordination with authorities near the DRC frontier.

The U.S. Embassy said the support is meant to help Uganda respond quickly if a case is identified, especially in border areas where movement between communities can increase the risk of spread. The treatment, developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical under a U.S. government contract, is not commercially sold and is available for compassionate use while research continues. The article places the donation within wider U.S. health and humanitarian assistance to the region, including support for surveillance, contact tracing and emergency response systems.