US Provides Uganda with Life-Saving Ebola Treatment

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1144 EAT on Thursday 3 September 2026

The United States government has donated vials of the experimental Ebola antibody treatment MBP134 to Uganda’s Ministry of Health, with the treatment showing potential to reduce deaths among Ebola patients.

Dr Charles Ayume, State Minister for Health in charge of Primary Health Care, received the vials on behalf of the government and described the donation as a critical safeguard for Ugandan families.

Although Uganda currently has no active Ebola cases, an ongoing outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) poses a serious and immediate health security risk.

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

“This donation reflects our commitment to Uganda’s health security, because a safer Uganda means a safer world. By helping Uganda act within hours rather than days, the United States is also protecting Americans. An outbreak anywhere is a threat everywhere,” US Chargé d’Affaires Mikael Cleverley said.

MBP134 was developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical under a contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The antibody is designed to act faster than the body’s natural immune response by recognising and neutralising the Ebola virus, rather than waiting for the immune system to develop its own defences over days or weeks.

Pre-clinical studies have shown MBP134 to be effective against multiple Ebola species, including the Bundibugyo virus responsible for the current outbreak in the DRC.

For a disease with limited treatment options, the antibody provides an additional tool for doctors treating suspected or critically ill patients.

MBP134 is not commercially available and is being provided for compassionate use, allowing doctors to administer it to critically ill patients while research into its safety and effectiveness continues.

Regional response

The donation is part of broader US efforts to strengthen Ebola preparedness and response across the region. The United States has announced more than $619 million in funding for countries in the region to support Ebola response efforts, including preparedness, surveillance and outbreak control.

-Observer

Invest or Donate towards HICGI New Agency Global Media Establishment – Watch video here