ACCRA, GHANA – The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Jean Kaseya, on Tuesday called for the United States to lift its Ebola-related travel restrictions on Uganda, stating there is "no reason" for them to remain in place.
Speaking at a conference in Accra, Ghana's capital, Kaseya highlighted Uganda's significant progress in combating the virus. The country discharged its last Ebola patient on July 16, initiating a 42-day countdown period after which it can be officially declared free of the virus, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
"It's time today to lift the status (travel restrictions)," Kaseya asserted, adding that the focus should then be on supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which remains the epicenter of the current Ebola outbreak. He also urged other African nations to back his letter to Kennedy, signaling continental solidarity with countries affected by the outbreak.
The U.S. currently imposes entry restrictions on all travelers who have recently been in Congo, as well as some travelers who have visited Uganda or South Sudan. These restrictions were initially put in place in May and were further tightened just last week.
