The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun vaccinating frontline health workers against Ebola as authorities intensify efforts to contain the country’s largest and deadliest outbreak of the disease.
The vaccination campaign began on Thursday, with health workers being prioritised because of their high exposure risk while treating infected patients and responding to new cases.
Congo has received more than 50,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo vaccine, while the World Health Organization has allocated a total of 70,000 doses for the country’s response.
The vaccine is approved for protection against the Zaire species of Ebola, but the current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain. There is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for that strain.
Authorities are therefore using Ervebo under a compassionate-use approach while also conducting clinical trials to determine whether it can provide protection against the virus responsible for the current outbreak.
The campaign is initially targeting health workers and other people at particularly high risk of exposure. Vaccinations are being rolled out across affected areas as authorities seek to strengthen protection around treatment centres and reduce the risk of infections among medical personnel.
The move comes as the outbreak continues to spread rapidly across eastern Congo. More than 5,700 confirmed cases and approximately 2,700 deaths have been recorded, making the outbreak the most serious Ebola crisis in the country’s history.
Health authorities face significant challenges in containing the disease. The outbreak has spread across dozens of health zones, while insecurity, population displacement and limited healthcare infrastructure have made it difficult to trace contacts and provide treatment.
Health workers have also faced serious risks. More than 150 healthcare workers have reportedly been infected during the outbreak, with dozens dying from the disease.
The vaccination campaign is intended to help protect those working closest to Ebola patients while reducing the possibility of health facilities becoming centres of transmission.
The WHO has warned that the outbreak could eventually surpass the 2014 to 2016 West African Ebola epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people and remains the world’s deadliest Ebola outbreak.
Congo’s health authorities are also working with international organisations to expand treatment capacity, improve surveillance and strengthen community engagement. However, the rapid increase in infections has placed significant pressure on available resources.
The vaccination campaign represents an important development in the response, but health officials face an urgent race against time. With no approved vaccine or treatment specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain, authorities must combine vaccination, surveillance, isolation and community-based measures to slow transmission.
The success of the campaign will depend on how quickly doses can be distributed to high-risk workers and communities while researchers assess the vaccine’s effectiveness against the strain driving the outbreak.
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Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
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