WHO begins Ebola vaccination drive in Congo

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has launched an emergency vaccination campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo following the latest outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country’s central region.

According to WHO officials in Geneva on Friday, the campaign will begin this weekend after the first consignment of vaccines arrived by helicopter in Bulape, Kasaï province.

The delivery of the 400-dose batch marks the first phase of efforts to contain the spread of the disease, which has already killed at least 14 people, including three children under five.

Patrick Otim, head of WHO operations in the region, confirmed that aid workers had begun identifying hundreds of individuals who came into contact with confirmed cases.

These individuals will be prioritized for vaccination under the organisation’s “ring strategy,” which seeks to immunise close contacts and health workers first, creating a barrier against further transmission.

The urgency of the campaign has grown after health authorities confirmed a new case of Ebola roughly 70 kilometres from the original outbreak zone, raising concerns that the virus may already be spreading beyond the initial cluster.

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As of Friday, the WHO reported 25 confirmed cases in total, though African health authorities have logged dozens of suspected cases that are still undergoing laboratory testing.

Containing the outbreak is complicated by the logistical challenges of operating in Congo’s remote areas. Ebola vaccines must be stored at very low temperatures, but the affected communities lack reliable electricity.

To address this, WHO teams are relying on special cooling boxes capable of maintaining ultra-cold conditions long enough to keep the vaccines viable.

“Once we have a more stable cold chain in place, another 1,500 doses will be flown into the region,” Otim said.

Ebola, first discovered in the DRC in 1976, is transmitted through direct physical contact with infected individuals or exposure to contaminated body fluids.

The virus causes high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and internal and external bleeding, and is fatal in a significant proportion of cases if treatment is delayed.

The threat posed by Ebola remains particularly stark in Africa, where health systems are often fragile and outbreaks can quickly spiral out of control.

The most devastating example occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2015, when more than 11,000 people died across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

That epidemic highlighted both the catastrophic potential of the disease and the importance of rapid international response.

In the present outbreak, WHO and Congolese health authorities are racing against time. Epidemiologists are tracing contacts, while field workers provide protective gear to health staff and raise awareness in local communities.

Aid agencies warn that misinformation and mistrust of health authorities could hinder vaccination uptake, but emphasise that swift community cooperation is vital to avoid a repeat of past tragedies.

As the vaccination drive begins, global health experts stress that the coming weeks will be critical. If containment efforts succeed, the outbreak could be limited to Kasaï province. If not, the DRC and its neighbours may once again face a regional health emergency.

NAN