Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) has appealed for urgent lifting of restrictions on the use of the Ervebo vaccine to combat the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The organization believes the vaccine could help protect populations most at risk, despite the absence of a specific vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain. According to MSF, the vaccine developed by Merck is approved against the Zaïre strain of the Ebola virus.
MSF's call comes as the DRC faces its 17th Ebola outbreak, which has become the deadliest in its history with over 5,300 deaths among more than 10,900 cases. The organization is leading a study on vaccinating 20,000 frontline workers and has urged the rapid administration of available Ervebo doses to people at risk without being conditional on research protocols. MSF's epidemiologist and deputy operations director, Guyguy Manangama, emphasized that the lack of a specific vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain should not hinder the use of Ervebo.
The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a clinical trial in the DRC on October 24 to evaluate the potential effectiveness of Ervebo against the Bundibugyo strain. However, MSF and WHO have expressed concerns about the insufficient supply of vaccine doses. The DRC had requested 500,000 doses of Ervebo in August, but only 70,000 have been allocated to the country. MSF has called on Merck and international health partners to increase their supply.
The DRC's current Ebola outbreak is centered in the eastern part of the country, where MSF and other health organizations are working to contain the disease. The organization's efforts focus on vaccination, contact tracing, and providing medical care to those infected. Despite these efforts, the outbreak continues to spread, and MSF has warned that delays in accessing vaccination could expose more people to the disease.
Two new vaccine candidates are being studied, but their results are not expected for several months. In the meantime, MSF and WHO are working with the DRC government to implement available measures to control the outbreak. The situation remains critical, with the risk of further spread and increased mortality.
The international community has been urged to support the response efforts in the DRC. MSF and other organizations require more resources, including vaccine doses, to effectively combat the outbreak. The WHO has also called for increased support to address the crisis.
The DRC government, with the support of international partners, is working to strengthen its response to the outbreak. The situation on the ground remains challenging, with security concerns and access difficulties hindering response efforts. MSF and other organizations continue to work tirelessly to contain the outbreak and protect affected communities.
Key points
- MSF urges expanded access to Ervebo vaccine to combat Ebola outbreak in DR Congo
- Insufficient vaccine doses hinder response efforts
- WHO and MSF collaborate on clinical trials to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against Bundibugyo strain
