By Ben Musanje
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has shifted the dissemination of the Uganda Harmonized Integrated Survey Report from a physical event to a televised live broadcast following the Ebola outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a public statement issued on Wednesday, UBOS Executive Director Dr Chris N. Mukiza said the report launch scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2026, will now be streamed live on several television stations and online platforms to minimize public health risks.
The event will be aired on UBC TV, NBS TV, NTV, BBS TV, TV West, as well as the UBOS YouTube channel on Thursday, 20th May 2026.
“This has been occasioned by the Ebola Disease outbreak from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo,” the statement read.
UBOS advised all invited guests who had been expected to attend physically to instead follow proceedings remotely through the listed media platforms.
The move comes amid growing regional concern over the spread of Ebola after the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed 51 cases in eastern DR Congo, mainly in Ituri Province — the epicenter of the outbreak — and North Kivu Province.
Uganda has already reported two confirmed Ebola cases in Kampala linked to travelers from DR Congo. One of the infected persons has since died, heightening fears of cross-border transmission and prompting institutions to tighten precautionary measures.
Health experts have warned that Uganda remains vulnerable because of the high movement of people and goods between the two countries, especially through porous border points in the western region.
The Uganda Harmonized Integrated Survey Report is one of the country’s key statistical publications, providing critical data on household welfare, employment, poverty levels and socio-economic trends used by government agencies, researchers and development partners for planning and policy formulation.
By moving the dissemination online and onto national television, UBOS joins a growing list of public institutions adopting preventive measures aimed at reducing large gatherings as authorities intensify surveillance and preparedness against a possible wider outbreak.
The government has not announced nationwide restrictions, but health officials continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and observe preventive measures against Ebola. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
