Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
UN agencies are assisting national health authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by supporting Ebola treatment centres, case management, surveillance, and the delivery of medical supplies. Over 90 percent of reported Ebola cases are in Ituri province, with additional infections in North and South Kivu. The response faces challenges, including attacks on frontline workers during safe burial operations and widespread mistrust impacting public health initiatives.
In Uganda, the UN supports government-led Ebola containment under national coordination frameworks. This includes contact tracing, surveillance, infection prevention, and public awareness campaigns, technically supported by the World Health Organization. Uganda has increased screening at 31 priority entry points, including Entebbe International Airport, and deployed rapid response teams and mobile laboratories to monitor travel and cross-border movements. UN agencies such as UNICEF, IOM, and UNHCR support community outreach, screening, and surveillance to curb virus spread.
UNHCR analysis shows refugees in Eastern and Southern Africa remain displaced for an average of nearly 16 years. Using registration data from 2001 to 2025, the agency estimates there will be about 6.4 million refugees and asylum-seekers in the region by the end of 2025, many fleeing conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia, primarily residing in neighboring countries.
UNHCR stresses the need for long-term solutions beyond emergency aid, noting children registered as refugees before age five face a median displacement exceeding 18 years—often entering adulthood in exile. The agency warns that prolonged displacement risks entrenching generational dependence on humanitarian assistance and calls for greater support to expand opportunities for refugees.