Press Release | U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Visits Uganda, Highlights More than 30 Years of Public Health Collaboration
Kampala, July 30, 2022 – Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walensky, visited Uganda July 27-30 to examine U.S. and Uganda collaboration to protect both countries’ populations from disease threats. Dr. Walensky’s visit demonstrates the continued importance of U.S.-Ugandan partnership in advancing global health security.
During her visit, Dr. Walensky met with Government of Uganda counterparts and visited partners working on HIV service delivery, public health workforce development, public health emergency response, and global health security, among others. She interacted with some of the talented women making advancing in medicine and public health, and setting an example on the importance of STEM education for girls and young women. She also visited the Mpondwe border area where, through technical collaboration CDC, District, and National along with World Health Organization (WHO) public health officials were able to identify Ebola virus spill over cases that occurred in 2019 and successfully prevent community spread in Uganda.
“The CDC values the long and close partnership it maintains with Uganda’s Ministry of Health and our many strong partners, like the Infectious Disease Institute, Baylor Uganda, the Uganda Virus Research Institute, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), and many more,” said Dr. Walensky.
“The U.S. Mission could not be prouder of the results of the over 30-year collaboration between the CDC and Uganda Ministry of Health. Dedicated Ugandan health leaders, with the combined support from the CDC, collaborating U.S. agencies, and local partners, have saved lives and prevented infections in Uganda,” U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Natalie E. Brown said, noting that the CDC, through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), supports more than 700,000 Ugandans living with HIV to receive free care and treatment services. “This collaboration has made substantial gains in strengthening health systems, advancing science-based public health initiatives, and enhancing capacity for surveillance, early identification, and control of epidemics and other disease threats, including COVID-19,” the Ambassador added.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the public health agency for the United States, focuses on expert exchange and joint problem solving to address long-standing health challenges, like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as new threats, like COVID-19.
For additional information, please contact:
Dorothy Nanyonga, Information Assistant
U.S. Mission Uganda, Tel: +256-772-138-194; Email: KampalaPress@state.gov
