By launching an Ebola vaccine trial within days of an outbreak, Uganda is sending the message that epidemic responses can be proactive, strategic and rapid, reports The Nation, adding that the trial is the first to assess the clinical effectiveness of a vaccine against Ebola caused by the Sudan virus.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said Uganda’s swift rapid response was thanks to the commitment of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, Makerere University and Uganda Virus Research Institute as well as WHO-led research efforts involving hundreds of scientists through the Filovirus Research and Development Network.
The trial has received significant international support, including contributions from the WHO, which has provided more than 2 000 doses of the experimental vaccine developed by the Institute of Advanced Virology.
“We are grateful to our partners for their commitment and collaboration, including the International Aids Vaccine Initiative for vaccine donation, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, Canada's International Development Research Centre for funding and Africa’s CDC for other support,” he added.
Unlike previous Ebola vaccines developed for the Zaire strain, this trial focuses on the long-overlooked Sudanese strain, which has received little investment and has no licensed vaccine.
If successful, it could finally provide protection against a virus that has plagued parts of Africa for decades. More importantly, it signals a shift in global health equity, showing that African countries are no longer just recipients of solutions, but are emerging as leaders in their own health security.
Uganda has a long history with Ebola outbreaks, having faced several deadly waves since the virus was first detected in the country in 2000, when it claimed more than 200 lives.
Since then, there have been several more outbreaks, including in 2012 and 2019, each of which required significant intervention to contain.
The most recent outbreak, which began in January, has once again tested the country’s response capacity. One of the first victims was a nurse.
By last week, the Ministry of Health had confirmed two more cases, but said the situation was still under control.
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about the outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. Although no cases have been reported in the US, the agency said it was issuing an advisory through its health alert network to raise awareness, according to Reuters.
The notification, issued on Thursday, is the CDC’s first since a temporary freeze on external communications was enforced by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Previous outbreaks of the Sudan virus have had a mortality rate of about 50%, the agency said.
Reuters – US CDC sends health alert on Uganda's Ebola outbreak
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