Uganda calls for AU force to contain Ebola outbreak

Its health minister says AU personnel could provide medical and logistical support, and help ease a shortage of health workers Uganda has called on the African Union to consider deploying its standby peacekeeping and humanitarian force to help contain an Ebola outbreak that has killed nearly 5,000 people in DR Congo. The call was made at a meeting of health officials from 45 African countries who came together to coordinate a continent-wide response to the outbreak, which has infected more than 10,000 people in DR Congo and now spread to Kenya and Nigeria. Uganda’s health minister told the summit on Wednesday that AU personnel could provide medical and logistical support, and help ease a shortage of health workers. He called on leaders to hold an emergency meeting to decide on financing and deployment. Officials agreed to strengthen cross-border surveillance, share information, and keep borders open. The virus has now spread further across Africa than any previous Ebola outbreak, with cases in the continent’s central, eastern, and western regions.