The Ugandan government has stated that it is 'not aware' of any new Ebola treatment centres in the country, following claims by Donald Trump's White House that such facilities had been established.
White House Statement Contradicted
Earlier this week, the US Department of State announced it was 'funding up to 50 treatment clinics' in 'Ebola-affected regions of the DRC and Uganda' amid the current outbreak in Central Africa, which has resulted in 131 deaths and over 530 infections. However, the Ugandan Ministry of Health has denied that any treatment centres have been set up, insisting that 'the country remains safe' with only two recorded fatalities, both patients 'imported' from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Official Denial
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Ministry of Health stated: 'The Ministry of Health has not been engaged on the establishment of the treatment centres referred to here, and we are therefore not aware of where they may have been set up within the country. We continue to affirm that Uganda has so far registered only two imported Ebola cases: one fatality and one patient currently responding well to treatment under close medical care. There are no local infections and the country remains safe.'
This comes as questions arise over whether the initial statement, which highlighted $23 million in 'bilateral foreign assistance' for both DR Congo and Uganda, was fully fact-checked. The Tuesday announcement added: 'Today, the United States announced a broad commitment to rapidly support the response by funding up to 50 treatment clinics, and associated frontline costs being established in Ebola-affected regions of the DRC and Uganda. These rapidly deployed clinics will enable implementing partners to establish clinical care and containment perimeters around affected areas.'
Travel Restrictions and Incident
Meanwhile, Trump's White House has imposed a ban on anyone who has recently travelled to either country from entering the US, unless they land at Washington Dulles International Airport and submit to 'enhanced screening'. On Thursday, US Customs and Border Protection reported that an Air France flight bound for Detroit was diverted to Montreal after a passenger from the Congo boarded a flight in Paris 'in error' due to the flight restrictions. A spokesperson stated that the passenger 'should not have boarded' the plane due to US entry restrictions aimed at reducing the risk of Ebola spreading. Officials 'took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveller from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.' Air France confirmed that the Congolese passenger was denied entry into the US due to new regulations requiring travellers from certain countries, including the Congo, to enter only through Washington DC.
