Rwanda and Uganda to Hold Joint Health Emergency Drill at Gatuna Border

GATUNA, RWANDA — Rwanda and Uganda will hold a Rwanda Uganda border simulation from 10 to 12 November to test how the two countries would respond together to a cross-border health emergency, Xinhua and Top Africa News reported on 8 November.

The three-day exercise will take place at the Gatuna/Katuna One Stop Border Post and will involve both countries’ Ministries of Health and their partners, according to a statement issued by Uganda’s Ministry of Health on Sunday, 8 November.

What the Rwanda Uganda border simulation will test

The Rwanda Uganda border simulation will use planned emergency scenarios to test coordination, information sharing, coordinated response operations and patient referral arrangements, the statement said.

Travellers and border residents may see health workers and personnel from other agencies carrying out drills. Uganda’s Ministry of Health stressed that the activities are planned and are not a response to a real outbreak. “These activities are part of the exercise and should not be mistaken for an actual health emergency,” the ministry said, according to Xinhua.

The exercise also aims to protect public health while keeping cross-border travel and trade moving safely. Residents were asked to cooperate with exercise teams and follow official instructions.

Simulated scenarios typically involve actors playing travellers with symptoms such as fever, vomiting or bleeding, who are identified at screening points, isolated and referred. Teams then test how quickly information is shared between the two sides and whether ambulances, isolation units and laboratory samples move as planned.

Prof. Charles Olaro, Uganda’s Director General of Health Services, commended health workers, development partners, security agencies and other stakeholders for strengthening the country’s preparedness, Top Africa News reported.

Why Gatuna matters

Gatuna/Katuna is one of the busiest crossings between Rwanda and Uganda, used by traders, truck drivers, students and families. Heavy movement of people and goods makes coordination on disease detection and response important, Xinhua said.

The exercise comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo battles a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak that WHO says is the largest in the country’s history. Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths earlier this year, though WHO says its outbreak has been controlled since August. Health officials have warned that porous borders raise the risk of spread across the region.

Rwanda shares borders with both the DRC and Uganda. It has not reported a Bundibugyo case in the current outbreak, but it has experience of outbreak response, including the Marburg virus outbreak it contained in 2024.

During the Marburg outbreak, which mainly affected health workers in Kigali, Rwanda used contact tracing, isolation and an experimental vaccine trial to bring transmission under control within weeks, an experience health officials have cited as evidence of the value of preparedness.

How simulation exercises help

Simulation exercises allow health teams to practise their roles before a real emergency. They can reveal gaps in communication, supplies, transport, isolation space and decision-making that are easier to fix in advance than during a crisis.

Cross-border exercises are particularly valuable because outbreaks do not respect borders. They test whether officials in two countries can share information quickly, agree on how to handle a suspected case at the border, and refer patients to the right facility on either side.

WHO encourages countries to carry out simulation exercises as part of their obligations under the International Health Regulations, and to review lessons afterwards. Rwanda has previously run full-scale Ebola simulation exercises with WHO support.

After an exercise, participants usually hold a review to identify what worked and what did not, and agree on actions, such as updating contact lists, pre-positioning protective equipment or clarifying who has authority to make decisions. These reviews are where much of the value of a simulation lies.

Regional cooperation

East African Community partner states have committed to stronger cooperation on cross-border health security, including joint surveillance, laboratory networks and rapid response teams. Coordinated action at border posts is one of the most practical ways to put these commitments into practice.

For travellers, cross-border preparedness usually means screening, health declarations and clear information on what to do if they feel unwell. Keeping trade open while managing risk protects livelihoods in border communities.

The Rwanda Uganda border simulation also comes after a period of improved relations between the two countries, which reopened the Gatuna border in 2022 after a closure of about three years. Smooth cooperation at the post matters for traders and families on both sides.

Health officials are expected to review the results of the Rwanda Uganda border simulation after 12 November and use the findings to improve joint plans for responding to Ebola and other public health threats.

 

 

Why it matters: Practising a joint response at a busy border helps Rwanda and Uganda stop an imported outbreak without halting trade.

 

 

Source: Xinhua CN, November 2026.