The Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE) has joined a coordinated international effort to contain the spread of the Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD), a severe form of Ebola, by hosting a rapid response team assembled by the World Food Programme (WFP).
The 40‑member team will be based at the RSCE facilities for a period of nine months as they support operations in both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the outbreak remains a significant concern.
The deployment reflects the urgency of the regional situation. According to ongoing United Nations coordination efforts, Uganda remains at risk of infection as long as transmission continues across its border with the DRC, making cross-border preparedness and rapid response essential.
The RSCE’s contribution underscores its role as a critical enabler of UN field operations. Established to transform service delivery for missions, the Centre provides a wide range of administrative, logistics, and information and communications technology services to numerous UN entities, including support to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The WFP team will collaborate closely with the MONUSCO teams responsible for logistics, aviation, movement control, and warehousing.
Director of RSCE, Mr. Paulin Djomo, expressed satisfaction with the Centre’s ability to support the response effort. He noted that providing office space and operational facilities for the WFP-led team aligns with RSCE’s mandate to deliver timely and effective support to UN missions and partners.
The presence of the response team at RSCE is expected to enhance coordination among UN agencies and partners working across health, logistics, and community engagement. A comprehensive approach combining surveillance, case management, and risk communication is vital to containing the outbreak and preventing further spread.
By leveraging its strategic location in Entebbe and its established service infrastructure, RSCE continues to play a pivotal role in regional crisis response efforts. Its support to the Bundibugyo Virus response demonstrates the Centre’s commitment to enabling rapid, coordinated international action in the face of public health emergencies.
