In October 2022, an outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD), caused by Orthoebolavirus sudanense (SUDV), was confirmed in the Kampala Metropolitan area (KMA) by Uganda’s Ministry of Health. This report elucidates the multicomponent infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy implemented to mitigate the virus spread and its resultant effects on IPC capacities. This detailed analysis is essential in understanding the successful containment of the SVD outbreak in KMA during the 2022 episode, providing significant insights to infection prevention professionals globally.
The integrated IPC strategy encompassed IPC pillar coordination, IPC at healthcare facilities, and Ring IPC that intended focused IPC support to facilities and communities around every verified case. This implementation led to the assembly of a KMA task force constituting government and health professionals and activation of 13 IPC Rings, followed by readiness assessment at 790 healthcare facilities (HCFs) leading to the training of 2,235 healthcare workers (HCWs).
Primarily, the average IPC capacity score was recorded at 59.2% and rose to 65.5% post two weeks of IPC involvement. Primary and private-for-profit healthcare facilities exhibited the lowest baseline IPC scores, which signifies a much-needed area for IPC enhancement efforts. The IPC strategy paved the path for strengthening IPC capacities across healthcare facilities and indicated its applicability amidst future outbreaks. It underscores the importance of leadership commitment and resource allocation towards IPC during non-outbreak periods for rapid response and access to safe care.
The eighth SVD outbreak in Africa and the fifth in Uganda were announced on September 20, 2022, marking the commencement of a dual-wave outbreak affecting eight districts. With a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 39%, the outbreak posed comparatively lower CFR than previous SVD outbreaks.
The IPC strategy was designed following the incidents confirming the outbreak in KMA. It was a six-pillar approach, three of which are highlighted in this report for their vital role in building overall outbreak response capacities and performance – IPC pillar coordination, IPC in HCFs, and Ring IPC.
The implementation of the IPC strategy necessitated collaboration of various local and international partners. The creation of an IPC task force allowed for effective coordination and allocation of responsibilities, leading to the layered execution of attitude building, awareness programs, allocation of resources, supply chains, and addressing shortages that could risk IPC measures.
The non-Ebola HCFs were given guidance for developing functional screening and holding areas. This critical measure included webinars for sensitize HCWs, augmented by training materials, facility assessments, provision of IPC supplies, and onsite mentorship.
Despite facing several challenges such as an understaffed healthcare system, outdated national guidelines, and a protracted COVID-19 pandemic, the dedicated, systematic, and comprehensive approach towards IPC ensured the successful containment of the SVD outbreak in KMA. The learning from Uganda’s incidence provides a blueprint for managing and overcoming such healthcare crises in the future.
Source: https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-025-10720-0