As schools prepare to reopen for the new academic term, Uganda’s Ministry of Health has released strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) aimed at protecting learners, teachers, and school communities from the ongoing Ebola threat.
The new guidelines come amid heightened national and regional concern following confirmed Ebola cases linked to the Bundibugyo strain in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Health authorities say schools remain high-risk environments because of close interaction among learners, staff, parents, and visitors.
Under the new SOPs, schools across the country will be required to strengthen hygiene measures, screening systems, surveillance, and emergency response protocols to minimize the risk of transmission.
The Ministry of Health directed all schools to establish handwashing facilities with running water and soap at strategic points including school entrances, classrooms, dormitories, dining halls, staff rooms, and toilets. Mandatory handwashing for learners, staff, and visitors will also be enforced throughout the school day.
Schools have additionally been instructed to set up temperature screening points at entrances and deny access to anyone showing Ebola-related symptoms such as fever, vomiting, unexplained bleeding, weakness, or severe headache.
Authorities are also discouraging physical contact within school environments, including handshakes, hugging, and sharing personal items. Classrooms and dormitories are expected to remain well ventilated, while schools have been asked to regularly disinfect surfaces, toilets, bathrooms, vehicles, and other frequently touched areas.
One of the major directives involves preparedness for suspected cases. Schools are now required to designate temporary isolation areas where learners or staff showing Ebola-like symptoms can be separated from others before health authorities intervene.
The Ministry further instructed schools to maintain updated emergency contact information for nearby health facilities and district surveillance teams to ensure rapid reporting and response.
According to health officials, the SOPs are intended not only to protect learners but also to avoid widespread disruptions to the education system should the outbreak escalate.
“Schools are environments where learners, teachers, support staff, parents and visitors interact closely, making them vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases if preventive measures are not observed,” part of the Ministry guidance states.
The measures come as Uganda intensifies national Ebola containment efforts following the confirmation of imported cases connected to the outbreak in eastern DRC. The World Health Organization recently classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, warning of the risk of cross-border transmission due to high population movement in the region.
Health authorities say the Bundibugyo strain currently circulating poses additional concern because there are no fully approved vaccines specifically designed for it.
The latest school guidelines are part of broader national preventive measures that also target public gatherings, places of worship, transportation hubs, and social events. Government recently directed organizers of mass gatherings to seek prior health clearance and implement strict preventive protocols during events.
Officials say public cooperation will remain critical in controlling the outbreak.
Parents, teachers, and school administrators have been urged to remain vigilant, report suspected symptoms immediately, and reinforce public health awareness among learners as Uganda works to prevent further spread of the disease.