The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) has concluded a one-year Mpox Prevention and Control Project that strengthened community surveillance, expanded vaccination and supported survivors in Kampala and Wakiso districts.
Implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Wakiso District Local Government, the project trained 449 frontline personnel, including 201 health workers and 248 Village Health Team (VHT) members.
The initiative also supported the vaccination of 400 people in communities identified as having high transmission rates, including 300 in Kawempe Division, Kampala, and 100 in Kiira Municipality, Wakiso District.
Beyond prevention and treatment, the project provided psychosocial counselling to more than 150 mpox survivors, while another 100 received vocational training in the production of liquid soap, bar soap, shampoo and bleach to support their economic recovery.
The intervention sought to address both the public health challenges associated with mpox and the social and economic difficulties survivors may face after recovering from the disease.
According to JCRC, project teams screened 774 suspected mpox cases, of which 265 were laboratory-confirmed. The confirmed cases were successfully treated and discharged, with no deaths recorded among them during the project.
Dr Cissy Kityo, JCRC executive director, said the experience demonstrated the importance of strengthening health systems beyond the immediate management of an outbreak.
“Epidemic preparedness must extend beyond treating disease. It must build strong frontline health systems, empower communities to quickly detect and report affected individuals, reduce transmission, and ensure that people who survive an outbreak are supported to recover socially and economically,” Kityo said.
The project combined community-level surveillance, vaccination, health worker training and survivor support to strengthen the response to mpox in the two areas.
Simpson Nuwamanya, JCRC project surveillance officer, said the approach deliberately linked disease prevention with support for survivors.
A dedicated survivors’ clinic was established at Glorious Clinic in Kimombasa, Kawempe. Approval was also secured for additional clinics at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital and Wakiso Health Centre, according to the project information.
Dr John Bosco Nsubuga, director of Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, highlighted the importance of partnerships in strengthening the response to public health emergencies.
He said training health workers and sensitising communities had helped build a stronger frontline system capable of responding to future outbreaks.
The collaboration brought together national and local government institutions, healthcare providers and community-based personnel to improve disease detection, reporting and response.
The training of VHT members was particularly important in extending surveillance and health information into communities, where early recognition and reporting of suspected infections can support timely public health action.
Kampala and Wakiso experienced a substantial burden during Uganda’s mpox outbreak.
UNICEF previously reported that Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso accounted for 70 per cent of confirmed cases as of February 2025.
National figures cited by KCCA’s director of public health and environment showed that, by September 6, 2026, Uganda had recorded 8,001 cumulative cases and 52 deaths. The official emphasised the need to sustain vigilance and community engagement.
The figures underscore the importance of maintaining surveillance and public awareness even as targeted response projects come to an end.
The project was supported by the Autonomous Province of Trento (PAT) in Italy through Padre Angelo Solidarietà nel Mondo (APASOM) and managed by House for Life Father Angelo.
Following the project's closure, JCRC has called for continued investment in community-based surveillance, vaccination, frontline health worker capacity, risk communication and survivor-centred recovery.
Sustaining these interventions, the organisation says, will be important in preserving the gains achieved and strengthening Uganda’s preparedness for future public health emergencies.
The project’s experience also highlights the importance of integrating community engagement and psychosocial and economic support into outbreak response, alongside case detection, vaccination and treatment.