Ugandan Government represented by its Minister of Health Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), together with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), on Saturday officially launched the Joint Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST), establishing a unified operational platform to strengthen Africa’s capacity to prepare for, coordinate and respond to public health emergencies while supporting the ongoing Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) response.
The launch marks a significant milestone in strengthening Africa’s public health emergency architecture and reflects a shared commitment by Africa CDC, WHO AFRO and African Union Member States to build faster, more coordinated and country-led responses to increasingly complex public health threats. It also reinforces regional preparedness and cross-border collaboration as essential pillars of Africa’s health security.
Hosted at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Makerere University in Kampala, the co-located IMST will support Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and neighbouring at-risk countries through integrated technical assistance, operational coordination, and multidisciplinary expertise. Guided by the principles of One Team, One Plan, One Budget, and One Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, the IMST brings together specialists in surveillance, laboratory systems, case management, infection prevention and control, emergency logistics, emergency operations, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), information management, and partner coordination to strengthen outbreak response across the region.
The launch of the Joint Continental IMST marks the realization of a shared vision to strengthen Africa’s emergency response architecture. That vision emerged during a solidarity visit by Africa CDC Director General, H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, to H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the onset of the Bundibugyo Virus Disease outbreak last month. During the meeting, President Museveni pledged Uganda’s support to host the Continental Incident Management Support Team in Kampala and the Continental Ebola Supply Chain Coordination Mechanism in Entebbe. Today, that commitment has been fulfilled. In record time, Africa CDC, the Government of Uganda, WHO and partners have established the Joint IMST at IDI in Kampala and the Continental Ebola Supply Chain Coordination Mechanism at the National Medical Stores in Entebbe, creating two complementary continental platforms that strengthen Africa’s preparedness and response to public health emergencies.
Although officially inaugurated today, the Joint IMST has been supporting response operations since the early stages of the outbreak through technical deployments, strengthened surveillance and laboratory systems, emergency logistics, community engagement and cross-border preparedness.
The launch formalizes a coordinated response model that is already supporting affected countries while strengthening Africa’s long-term emergency preparedness.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of Africa CDC, H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Dr. Tolbert Nyenswah, Director, Center for Public Health Emergencies Management and Incident Manager of the Continental IMST from Africa CDC, said the launch reflects Africa’s growing capacity to lead coordinated public health emergency responses.
“The Continental IMST represents Africa’s commitment to stronger institutions, coordinated action and country-led emergency response. On behalf of Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya, I reaffirm our commitment to continue supporting Member States through technical expertise, regional collaboration and partnerships that protect communities and strengthen Africa’s health security.”
Uganda’s Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, described the launch as an important step in strengthening regional cooperation.
“Uganda is proud to host the Continental IMST as a demonstration of what countries, regional institutions and partners can achieve by working together. This platform strengthens our response to the current BVD outbreak while reinforcing preparedness for future public health emergencies.”
Speaking on behalf of WHO AFRO, Dr. Marie-Roseline Belizaire, WHO Africa Regional Emergency Director and Incident Manager of the Continental IMST, emphasized the importance of coordinated partnership in supporting national responses.
“The Joint Continental IMST reflects the strength of our partnership with Africa CDC and Member States.
Through coordinated technical support and shared expertise, we are strengthening national leadership, improving cross-border collaboration, and helping countries respond more effectively to public health emergencies.”
Recognizing that communities are central to successful outbreak control, the IMST will integrate Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), social listening and behavioural intelligence across all response pillars.
Community insights will help inform operational decisions, strengthen public trust and improve the effectiveness of response interventions.
The launch also reinforces cross-border collaboration between Uganda and the DRC through strengthened surveillance, laboratory networks, emergency logistics and coordinated preparedness.
By linking national leadership with continental expertise and global partnership, the IMST strengthens Africa’s ability to detect outbreaks earlier, respond faster and better protect populations from emerging public health threats.
As Africa continues to face increasingly complex health threats, the Joint Continental IMST represents an important investment in stronger institutions, coordinated emergency response and regional solidarity.
Together, Africa CDC and WHO AFRO are helping build a more resilient Africa that is better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to future public health emergencies.
The occasion was graced by the United States of America Ambassador, the British High Commissioner, a delegation of the high-risk and affected countries as well as IMST partners including UNICEF, UNFPA, US CDC, IFRC, FAO, MSF, UKHSA, JICA, JHPIEGO, TDDAP, and others.
