WHO, Africa CDC welcome release of 70,000 Ebola vaccine doses to DRC

By Precious Mark

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have welcomed the allocation of 70,000 doses of Ervebo Ebola vaccines to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to aid in controlling the ongoing outbreak.

The International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision approved the immediate initial release on Monday following an urgent request submitted last week by the DRC government.

The allocated consignment comprises 50,000 doses designated for healthcare and frontline workers under recommendations from the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).

The remaining 20,000 doses are earmarked for a Phase 3 clinical trial aimed at determining the vaccine’s efficacy against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain driving the current epidemic.

While Ervebo is officially licensed and recommended for outbreaks caused by the Zaire ebolavirus, its human efficacy against the Bundibugyo strain remains unproven.

However, preliminary laboratory and animal studies suggest the vaccine may provide cross-protection, making the upcoming clinical trial vital for generating scientific evidence to guide public health decisions.

Health authorities emphasized that individuals participating in the trial or receiving the vaccine under emergency protocols will be fully informed of potential risks, benefits, and limitations to ensure voluntary, informed consent.

The global emergency stockpile from which the doses are drawn is funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and managed by the ICG, whose core partners include the WHO, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and UNICEF.

From the establishment of the ICG Ebola mechanism in January 2021 through July 2026, more than 56,000 Ervebo doses have been distributed for outbreak response in the DRC, while another 167,000 doses have supported preventive vaccination campaigns across the DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

In a joint position released on August 20, 2026, the WHO and Africa CDC expressed unified support for the DRC government’s community-led response strategy, stressing that empowering local populations is critical to saving lives, halting transmission, and building long-term continental health security.