WHO confirms Uganda will receive Sudan strain Ebola trial vaccine next week

As the east African country of Uganda struggles to halt the spread of the deadly Sudan strain of Ebola virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Thursday that the country would receive a trial vaccination against the Sudan strain of Ebola the following week.

According to Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, a WHO representative of Uganda, the first people to get the trial vaccine would be individuals who have had direct contact with confirmed Ebola cases, including healthcare workers.

Henry Kyobe, the incident commander for the Ebola outbreak at the Ministry of Health, has said that the experimental immunizations have been researched in the past and are safe.




WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said that the prospective vaccinations had been given the go-light by the WHO's team of outside scientists. Matshidiso claims that starting the clinical investigation is a major milestone toward developing the first immunization against the Sudan strain.

Vaccination is a crucial tool in the fight against the spread of Ebola. Health Minister Ruth Aceng of Uganda has said that the government would evaluate the efficacy of three experimental vaccinations:

The Oxford vaccine from the United Kingdom

The Sabin vaccine from the US

The Merck vaccine from the US


The efficacy of immunizations to protect persons who come into contact with Ebola patients will be evaluated within 29 days after contact. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, there have been 141 confirmed cases of Ebola.

FAQs

Is a vaccine for Ebola available?
Yes, two licensed vaccines for Ebola are available.

Where is the current Ebola outbreak?
It is in Uganda.