The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has attributed the absence of an approved vaccine for the current Ebola outbreak to what its Director-General, Dr Jean Kaseya, described as insufficient international attention to diseases affecting Africa.
Kaseya made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, arguing that vaccine development might have progressed faster if the outbreak were occurring in Western countries.
“If this outbreak was in Western countries, vaccine would already be available,” he said.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no licensed vaccine or specific treatment is currently available. This differs from the Zaire strain, against which an approved vaccine, Ervebo, has been developed. The World Health Organisation has confirmed that research into potential vaccines and treatments for the Bundibugyo strain is ongoing.
Kaseya explained that the Bundibugyo strain has received less attention partly because it has caused fewer outbreaks than the Zaire strain, which has been responsible for more than 16 outbreaks.
He said the Africa CDC was working to address the gap by supporting clinical trials of potential vaccines. According to him, an African manufacturer based in Egypt is conducting clinical trials of a vaccine candidate targeting the Bundibugyo strain.
The agency is also working with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to facilitate the use of Ervebo for clinical trials and compassionate use, subject to the relevant protocols and approvals.
Kaseya called for greater investment in Africa’s capacity to develop and manufacture vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools, stressing that the continent should not remain dependent on external partners during public health emergencies.
He also disclosed that 28 African countries had contributed funding towards the outbreak response, describing their participation as an important step towards greater regional responsibility for health emergencies.
Meanwhile, Nigeria confirmed an imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20. The patient, a woman who had recently travelled from Uganda, was receiving medical care, while health authorities identified 44 contacts for monitoring.
The Africa CDC says the outbreak should prompt stronger regional cooperation, increased domestic funding and greater investment in local vaccine research and production.
