Kampala, Uganda
Catholic and Anglican bishops in Uganda have hailed government, health care providers and the public for their role in fighting and ending the Ebola outbreak in the country.
The bishops made the remarks in their Christmas message to Christians.
“We need to thank the government and health workers for working tirelessly to control the Ebola situation,” said Catholic Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese who is also also the chairperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference.
Catholic Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese, in Central Uganda, who was the main celebrant during the Christmas service at Kiyinda-Mityana Cathedral in Kampala. PICTURE: Francis Zaake.
Bishop Zziwa commended people in the districts of Mubende and Kasanda in central Uganda who were affected by Ebola for their patience and endurance when they were subjected to a lockdown, and appealed to them to remain vigilant.
“We should not simply say Ebola is gone and relax,” he said. “Let’s follow the standard operating procedures to survive the Ebola problem for long.”
On 20th September, 2022, the Ministry of Health in Uganda, together with the World Health Organization, confirmed an outbreak of Ebola in Mubende District, Central Uganda after one fatal case was confirmed.
However, at the start of December, 2022, the ministry declared that it had discharged the last known Ebola patient from hospital, raising hope that the outbreak that had killed at least 56 people in the country would end soon.
For the survivors, Bishop Zziwa urged the public not to discriminate against them. “Let’s respect our fellow humans who have undergone this ordeal and receive them back in society without discrimination,” he said.
Anglican Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu delivered a similar sentiment in his 20th December Christmas message, commending the ministry, health care providers and community leaders in the Ebola-affected areas.
“Like our God who gave His Son to the world this Christmas, you have followed in his footsteps by giving yourself to bring the outbreak to an end,” he said. “Thank you! Let us all continue to be alert and careful about conditions that can spread diseases such as Ebola and COVID-19. Let us also remember that malaria has killed more of us than Ebola and COVID-19 combined. Please make sure every member of your family sleeps under a treated mosquito net.”
The prelates also asked government to account for the thousands of missing political and human rights activists in the country.
Bishop Zziwa noted that in the spirit of Christmas, it was necessary that government account for the missing persons and also ensure that security organisations do their work within the confines of the law.
Since the end of the 14th January, 2021, general elections in Uganda, Opposition political parties have complained that thousands of their supporters have been abducted by security forces and many of them killed.
In March, 2022, Human Rights Watch published a report documenting years of arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearance, and the use of illegal detention centres by Ugandans security forces. The report indicated that the abuses escalated in the two months before the 14th January elections and continued for several months afterwards.
