Uganda Strengthens Emergency Response Capacity Through African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC) - Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE) Training

Zawya

2 days ago

With support from the Foreign, Commonwealth&Development Office (FCDO), the World Health Organization (WHO) is collaborating with the Government of Uganda to train 78 multidisciplinary One Health responders under the Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE) flagship programme.
The AVoHC-SURGE training, a cornerstone of WHO's Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) strategy, is designed and led by WHO to equip countries with skilled, coordinated teams capable of deploying rapidly during health emergencies. In Uganda, WHO has convened and facilitated a diverse group of participants from multiple sectors, including health, agriculture, internal affairs, animal and fisheries industries, and the Uganda Defence Forces, reflecting the One Health approach to managing threats at the human–animal–environment interface.
'This training equips Uganda with the human capacity to respond quickly and decisively when emergencies occur. I commend the Ministry of Health for its leadership and commitment to strengthening emergency readiness,' said Dr Kasonde Mwinga, WHO Representative to Uganda.
Through WHO's technical guidance, the training immerses participants in intensive sessions covering outbreak investigation, risk assessment, coordination, Gender based violence and Prevention and response of sexual exploitation, abuse and Harassment and rapid deployment operations. Practical simulations and scenario-based exercises replicate the realities of emergency response, ensuring participants are ready for coordinated action in the field.
For many participants, the experience is transformative: 'I am honoured to attend the AVoHC-SURGE training by WHO Uganda. I gained critical skills in rapid response, coordination, and outbreak investigation, which empowers me to protect lives and build stronger, safer communities,' shared Dr Andama Adinani, one of the participants from the district local government.
Others echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing how WHO's training builds technical capacity and strengthens networks across ministries and disciplines; connections that are critical to a cohesive national response when emergencies strike.
The inclusion of responders from multiple ministries underscores the Government of Uganda's commitment to a multisectoral approach, supported by WHO's technical expertise. Emergencies such as Ebola, Marburg, cholera, and zoonotic diseases require coordination between human health, animal health, and environmental sectors. By strengthening this integrated response capacity, Uganda, through WHO's SURGE programme is better prepared to contain outbreaks before they escalate.
'Preparedness is an investment in the future. Every skill gained here, every relationship built across ministries, will help us act faster, smarter, and more effectively to protect Ugandans,' Lubwama Benard, Deputy Incident Commander, Ministry of Health.
The AvoHC-SURGE initiative, supported by FCDO and implemented by WHO across Africa, has been rolled out in several countries. So far 27 out of the 30 countries have completed their trainings and the details of the trained teams have been uploaded in the responders database.
As health threats grow increasingly complex, WHO's continued support to Uganda in strengthening its national response capacity offers a model for other countries in the region. With a trained cadre of 78 multidisciplinary responders ready for deployment, the country is poised to respond to public health emergencies with speed, precision, and confidence.
Designed for impact, this training represents a best preparedness and readiness practice model to improve capacity to manage emergencies, disasters and other climate related emergencies on the African content.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization - Uganda.