Africa CDC chief urges continent to start producing its own Ebola vaccine
Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa CDC, called for local manufacturing of Ebola vaccines as the Bundibugyo outbreak continues to affect several East African economies.
At a recent interview, Africa CDC director-general Jean Kaseya urged African nations to develop their own capacity for Ebola vaccine production, citing the severe economic fallout of the Bundibugyo outbreak in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. The World Health Organization reports 6,778 cases and 3,269 deaths in one outlet wave, with Uganda declared free of transmission in late August while the DRC still reports cases.
Kaseya pointed out that the Bundibugyo strain was first identified 19 years ago but still lacks a dedicated vaccine, contrasting it with the rapid development of vaccines for strains in the U.S. and Europe. A vaccine targeting the Zaire Ebola strain is undergoing Phase 3 trials to assess its effectiveness against Bundibugyo, with results anticipated by year-end, and several other candidates are in early testing stages. He estimated about six months to determine a suitable Bundibugyo vaccine and criticized reliance on external manufacturers to supply free doses to the continent.
Why it matters
Local vaccine production could reduce Africa's reliance on external supplies during deadly Ebola outbreaks.
How this story developed
- Aug 23 Ebola toll in DRC climbs to over 5,500 cases as Pope calls for global aid
- Aug 31 The epidemic has spread to the Biena and Manguredjipa health zones, increasing the total number of affected zones to 60.
- Sep 1 More than 50,000 vaccine doses arrived for frontline workers.
- Sep 2 Confirmed cases rise to 6,186 and deaths increase to 3,007.
- Sep 13 A case confirmed in South‑Ubangi marked the virus’s spread to a seventh province.
- Sep 17 Confirmed cases have risen to over 7,200 and deaths to more than 3,500 since the outbreak was first declared.
- Sep 21 Vaccination of frontline health workers began in Ituri province.
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