The Democratic Republic of Congo has initiated a vaccination campaign targeting frontline healthcare workers in Bunia, the epicenter of the country’s largest and fastest-growing Ebola outbreak. The effort aims to protect those most at risk amid a rapidly worsening health crisis caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or treatment.
The campaign began on Saturday in Bunia and Mongbwalu, two hard-hit zones within Ituri province, according to provincial health authorities. The military governor of Ituri, Maj. Gen. Gaby Kasongo Mulumba, emphasized the critical role of healthcare workers in the outbreak response, calling vaccination of these personnel a collective duty to safeguard lives. The plan, which also covers North Kivu province, aims to immunize approximately 20,000 frontline workers over the next six to nine months.
As of Saturday, the Congolese government reported 7,541 confirmed Ebola cases nationwide, including 3,639 deaths, making this the deadliest of the 17 recorded outbreaks in the country’s history. A total of 1,823 people have recovered. The virus continues to spread amid challenging conditions characterized by insecurity, displacement, ongoing health worker strikes, and large-scale population movements.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak to be out of control and warned it could surpass the scale of the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, which caused over 11,000 deaths primarily in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
The frontline vaccinations involve the Ervebo vaccine, which is currently licensed for use against Ebola virus disease caused by the Zaire strain—a different and more common variant than the Bundibugyo strain driving the current outbreak. Despite this, the vaccine is being administered to healthcare workers based on its proven effectiveness in past outbreaks and the urgent need to protect response teams.
Dr. Jeannot Elua, a healthcare worker at a facility in Bunia, described the vaccine as beneficial, noting that receiving it was mandatory for himself and many colleagues during previous outbreaks. However, some frontline workers, including Dr. Jean Paul Uzele who received Ervebo during the country’s tenth Ebola outbreak, expressed uncertainty about whether a second vaccination is necessary under current circumstances.
Last month, a similar Ervebo vaccination initiative commenced in Kisangani, located in the Tshopo province, targeting 14 health zones across Tshopo, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele provinces.
WHO approved the use of 70,000 doses of Ervebo in Congo last month, with approximately 50,000 doses allocated for frontline and healthcare workers. The remaining 20,000 doses are designated for clinical trials aimed at determining whether the vaccine offers protection against the Bundibugyo virus variant, which remains understudied.
The ultimate goal of the vaccination drive is to enhance the outbreak response capability and reduce transmission among those at greatest risk, amid what continues to be one of the most severe Ebola outbreaks worldwide.