The Democratic Republic of the Congo has received an initial 70,000 Ervebo doses from the global Ebola vaccine stockpile to support its response to the ongoing Bundibugyo virus outbreak….reports Africa Daily News Desk
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received an initial allocation of 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses from the global Ebola vaccine stockpile to support the response to its ongoing Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak.
The DRC government requested the vaccines last week from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG), which informed Kinshasa on Monday that 70,000 doses would be released immediately.
Of the allocation, 20,000 doses will be used in a Phase 3 clinical trial to assess the vaccine’s potential impact against the Bundibugyo virus, while 50,000 doses will be provided to frontline and health workers in line with current recommendations from the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.
Ervebo is licensed and recommended for outbreaks caused by Ebola virus disease, previously known as Zaire ebolavirus. However, it is not yet known whether the vaccine can protect humans against the Bundibugyo virus.
Early laboratory and animal studies suggest the vaccine may offer some protection, making the planned clinical trial important for generating evidence on its potential use against the virus.
The organisations supporting the vaccine allocation stressed that people receiving Ervebo, whether as part of the clinical trial or through frontline vaccination, must be informed about its potential risks, benefits and limitations and provide informed consent.
The ICG, which manages the global Ebola vaccine stockpile, comprises the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières and UNICEF. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, provides funding for the stockpile.
WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) welcomed the allocation and expressed support for the DRC government’s response to the outbreak.
The two organisations said the response should focus on protecting affected communities and follow a community-led approach that gives local populations a central role in tackling the outbreak.
WHO and Africa CDC said they would continue supporting the DRC government in efforts to protect communities, save lives and bring the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak under control, while generating scientific evidence to strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks.
The ICG was established in 1997 following major meningitis outbreaks in Africa to coordinate emergency supplies of vaccines and antibiotics during major disease outbreaks. Its mandate includes ensuring equitable access to licensed vaccines for cholera, meningitis, yellow fever and Ebola outbreaks.
The ICG has managed the emergency Ebola vaccine stockpile since January 2021. Between its establishment and July 2026, more than 56,000 Ervebo doses had been allocated for responses to Ebola virus outbreaks in the DRC.
A further 167,000 doses had been used in preventive vaccination campaigns targeting health and frontline workers in the DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
