Kampala, Uganda — In a striking illustration of how seriously Uganda is taking its Ebola response, health authorities have introduced a ban on handshakes as part of a broader package of preventive measures against the Bundibugyo Ebola strain that has now spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo into Uganda. The announcement, made public on May 18, also includes the postponement of the annual Martyrs Day celebration, one of the most significant cultural and religious events on Uganda calendar.
Martyrs Day, observed on June 3, commemorates the 23 Ugandan monks who were executed between 1885 and 1887 under the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda. The celebration typically draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to Namugongo, a site of deep spiritual significance for Uganda Christian community. Postponing the event is unprecedented in modern times and signals the level of alarm within government circles.
How the Handshake Ban Works
Uganda Ministry of Health issued a directive asking citizens to refrain from handshaking in public settings, particularly in markets, places of worship, and transport hubs. The recommendation has been met with a mixture of compliance and cultural surprise — handshakes are so deeply embedded in Ugandan social interaction that the ban has prompted a range of creative alternatives, from the elbow bump to the more formal nod of the head that some older Ugandans say recalls pre-colonial greetings.
Health workers have been deployed to major entry points, including Entebbe International Airport, where thermal screening has been reinforced. The U.S. Embassy in Kampala has gone further, suspending visa services citing the health environment — a move that has added to the atmosphere of caution sweeping the capital.
The Strain Spreading Across Borders
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola that has triggered this unprecedented response is one for which no licensed vaccine currently exists. Unlike the better-known Zaire strain that caused the massive 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak, Bundibugyo has proved harder to contain with existing medical tools. Health experts have warned that the actual number of cases on the ground may be significantly higher than official counts suggest.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, a designation that activates AU-level coordination mechanisms. Africa CDC has convened emergency meetings and called for urgent regional coordination to prevent further cross-border spread.
A Leadership in Shock
Uganda response comes against a backdrop of political turbulence. A senior presidential advisor died in a car accident on May 17, according to local media reports. Meanwhile, allies of the former speaker of parliament have gone quiet as a corruption probe deepens — a sign that domestic political distractions may be complicating the government ability to focus fully on the health emergency.
The situation is being watched closely across the region. Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan all share porous borders with Uganda and the broader Congo basin. Public health specialists say the handshake ban, unusual as it sounds, may prove a relatively low-cost intervention compared to the economic disruption a full-blown regional outbreak would cause.
Looking Ahead
Uganda has faced Ebola before — the 2018 outbreak of the same strain killed more than 2,000 people — and has developed a reputation for aggressive early-response measures. The country experience with the 2018 epidemic, when it managed to contain the outbreak despite its proximity to heavily affected areas in DR Congo, gives some grounds for cautious optimism. Whether the handshake ban will make a material difference remains to be seen, but the message from Kampala is clear: this time, no one is taking any chances.
The Ministry of Health has urged the public to report any symptoms — fever, vomiting, unexplained bleeding — immediately and to avoid traditional healers during the outbreak period. Community awareness campaigns are being rolled out in local languages across the Busoga and Bunyoro regions, which border the outbreak zones.