DR Congo Begins Critical Ebola Vaccine Rollout for Frontline Health Workers as Death Toll Mounts

Health workers in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have begun receiving the Ervebo vaccine as part of urgent efforts to combat a severe Ebola outbreak. The vaccination campaign was launched on Saturday in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in the northeastern DRC, which stands as the epicentre of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

Major-General Gaby Kasongo Mulumba, the provincial governor, emphasized that health workers in the region “are particularly exposed and deeply involved in the response.” Backed by the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the operation will also expand to North Kivu, where cases have experienced a sharp rise, according to health authorities.

Approximately 50,000 health and frontline workers are slated to receive the Ervebo vaccine, originally developed for the Zaire strain. Because the current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo virus—which lacks a licensed vaccine or proven treatment—the effectiveness of Ervebo will be closely monitored in 20,000 recipients for up to one year while ongoing clinical trials search for a dedicated licensed vaccine.

“We don’t know to what degree it might be effective against the Bundibugyo strain,” noted Steve Ahuka, a Congolese official on the Ebola health task force. Meanwhile, Dr Jeannot Elua described the vaccine as “beneficial” at a health facility in Bunia, telling the Associated Press news agency that healthcare workers feel they have no choice but to receive it due to the risks.

World Health Organization experts indicate that early data, particularly from animal trials, suggests the vaccine could offer some level of protection during the current crisis. Since May, the outbreak has resulted in at least 3,639 deaths and approximately 7,541 infections, with 1,823 people having successfully recovered, local figures show.

In August, the World Health Organization announced that 70,000 doses of Ervebo were approved for use in the DRC under a compassionate-use programme, permitting the application of unapproved medical products during severe disease situations. Although World Health Organization officials have highlighted encouraging signs that transmission might be slowing, Doctors Without Borders cautioned on Friday that definitive evidence showing the epidemic is under control remains lacking.