Race Against Time: Ebola Vaccination Efforts in DRC’s Kasai Province

The World Health Organisation announced Sunday that vaccination efforts targeting those exposed to the Ebola virus, as well as front-line health workers, have commenced in the southern Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The recent outbreak of this highly contagious disease was identified in the Bulape locality of Kasai, leading to at least 16 deaths and 68 suspected cases, according to last week's data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

With an initial shipment of 400 Ervebo vaccine doses, distribution faced obstacles due to limited access and funding shortages. As vaccine efforts progress, permission has been granted for approximately 45,000 additional vaccines, bolstering the stockpile already present in the country.