Trials launched for vaccine against Bundibugyo Ebola strain
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
Africa CDC director general Jean Kaseya attributes the lack of an approved vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola to a lack of international interest. An African manufacturer based in Egypt is conducting clinical trials, while the agency is working with DR Congo and Uganda to test the Ervebo vaccine, according to Kaseya, speaking to Channels Television.
Clinical trials of a candidate vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus are under way in Egypt, Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said in an interview broadcast on Thursday by Channels Television. He said the organisation was also working with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to enable clinical trials and compassionate use of Ervebo, a vaccine designed against the Zaire strain.
Jean Kaseya attributed the lack of an approved vaccine against Bundibugyo to a lack of international interest in the strain, which has caused fewer outbreaks than the Zaire strain. The latter has been responsible for more than 16 outbreaks, he explained. The official said the response would have been different if the epidemic had affected Western countries.
He presented these efforts as part of initiatives to develop vaccine, medicine and diagnostic tool production in Africa. Twenty-eight African countries have contributed financially to the response to the epidemic, he added. Jean Kaseya called for stronger coordination among international partners and domestic funding for health emergency preparedness.
Nigeria reported a first case linked to the Bundibugyo strain in a Ugandan patient, according to the Africa CDC. The country subsequently hosted an organisation summit on the Ebola response, as recalled in the Africa CDC summit called in response to the first case in Nigeria.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
