Uganda: U.S. Donates Experimental Antibody Treatment to Bolster Uganda's Fight Against Ebola

The United States government has delivered an experimental antibody treatment for Ebola to Uganda's Ministry of Health, strengthening the country's preparedness amid an ongoing outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Dr Charles Ayume, Minister of State for Health in charge of Primary Health Care, received the treatment on behalf of the Ministry of Health. The vials are being held for immediate use should a new Ebola case be detected in Uganda.

Uganda currently has no active Ebola cases. However, health authorities remain concerned about the risk of cross-border transmission given the ongoing outbreak in the DRC and the movement of people between communities on both sides of the border.

According to the US government, the DRC outbreak had recorded more than 4,500 confirmed cases and over 2,000 deaths as of mid-August 2026, making it the largest recorded outbreak outside West Africa.

The donated treatment, known as MBP134, is an antibody-based medical countermeasure developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical with support from the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

MBP134 is designed to recognise and neutralise Ebola virus particles and has demonstrated activity against multiple Ebola species in pre-clinical studies, including Bundibugyo virus. The treatment is available for compassionate use while clinical research continues.

Unlike vaccines, which are intended primarily to prevent infection, antibody treatments are designed to provide immediate immune protection or help the body fight an existing infection. However, MBP134 is not currently an approved commercial treatment for Ebola.

US Chargé d'Affaires Mikael Cleverley said the donation was intended to help Uganda respond rapidly if Ebola crosses the border.

"As Ebola continues to spread in the DRC, the United States is making sure Uganda is ready to act fast," Cleverley said. "An outbreak anywhere is a threat everywhere."

The latest donation builds on US support to Uganda during previous Ebola responses, including assistance provided in April 2025 during the country's response to Sudan virus disease.

The United States says it has committed more than $619 million to Ebola response efforts across the region and remains the largest contributor to the regional response.

The delivery of MBP134 gives Ugandan health authorities an additional medical countermeasure that could be deployed rapidly if a case is detected, while surveillance and preparedness activities continue along the country's border with the DRC.

Read the original article on Nile Post.