Moscow’s health watchdog has begun advanced courses in Kampala as part of health cooperation with Africa
Russian health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor has begun training Ugandan medical personnel as part of broader cooperation with African countries on infectious disease control, the agency announced on Monday.
The initiative in Kampala follows the first Russian-African International Conference on Infectious Disease Control, held in the Ugandan capital in April 2024, and was launched at the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the time, Putin emphasized Africa’s vulnerability to infectious disease outbreaks. “The African continent needs a rapid enhancement of its medical, scientific and technological potential to protect the population from various infections,” the Russian president said, as quoted by Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova. “For its part, Russia stands ready for the most active cooperation in this key healthcare area,” he added.
According to the agency, 30 specialists from the Ugandan Health Ministry – including epidemiologists, microbiologists, emergency responders, and physicians – are taking part in the courses.
Rospotrebnadzor reported that the training could improve health readiness and support local efforts “to promptly identify and respond to potential threats associated with the spread of infectious diseases.”
The program is part of a broader Russian strategy to deepen its presence across the African continent in a range of sectors from healthcare and education to energy, mining, and security.
Uganda has faced multiple outbreaks in recent years, including Ebola and Sudan virus disease (SVD). Rospotrebnadzor confirmed in January it had offered its support to Kampala in conducting an epidemiological investigation and deploying anti-epidemic measures.
The East African country has praised Russian support in the fight against disease. In June, Ugandan permanent secretary at the Health Ministry, Dr. Diana Atwine, said efforts to contain cross-border Ebola transmission had succeeded “thanks to joint efforts with our Russian partners, swift containment, and targeted interventions.”
The Russian health watchdog also delivered a mobile laboratory to the country in 2024, aimed at facilitating the rapid diagnosis of severe infectious diseases.
Similar equipment was previously sent to the Republic of the Congo following an agreement between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Denis Sassou Nguesso.
Moscow has also supplied technical assistance to several other African nations, including Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo, Guinea, and Ethiopia, during recent outbreaks of mpox, which was declared a public health emergency across parts of the continent in 2024.
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