DRC Embarks on Ebola Vaccination Campaign for Health Workers in Bunia

Kinshasa, September 19, 2026 : Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have launched a vaccination campaign for health workers and frontline responders in the city of Bunia, using the Ervebo vaccine as part of efforts to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

Campaign Targets Hardest-Hit Areas

Health authorities said Saturday that the campaign targets Bunia and Mongbwalu, two of the areas hardest hit by the virus, and is expected to cover 20,000 frontline workers across Ituri and North Kivu provinces over a period of six to nine months.

Frontline Workers Prioritized Due to Exposure Risk

Ituri Province Military Governor Gaby Kasongo Mulumba said workers are being prioritized because of their heightened exposure to infection and direct involvement in the outbreak response.

Vaccine's Effectiveness Against Current Strain Still Under Study

The Ervebo vaccine is licensed to prevent disease caused by the Zaire ebolavirus and has proven effective against that strain. However, its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus responsible for the current outbreak remains under study, Mulumba added, noting that no licensed vaccine or specific treatment currently exists for the strain driving this outbreak.

Health Official Confirms Uncertainty Over Cross-Protection

Prof. Steve Ahuka, the official overseeing the DRC's health response, said the vaccine's effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus remains unknown.

Outbreak Has Killed Nearly 3,700 People

According to the latest figures from the Congolese National Institute of Public Health, the country has recorded 7,541 confirmed cases, including 3,639 deaths — a fatality rate of about 48.3 percent. A total of 1,823 patients have recovered, with the outbreak spreading across seven provinces.

Deadliest Outbreak in DRC's History

The outbreak began in Ituri Province and was officially declared in mid-May, becoming the deadliest Ebola outbreak the country has ever experienced.

WHO Allocated 70,000 Vaccine Doses in August

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in August that it had allocated 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to the DRC — 50,000 for health workers and frontline responders, and 20,000 for a clinical trial studying the vaccine's level of protection against the Bundibugyo virus.

Vaccination Already Underway in Tshopo Province

The vaccine had already begun being administered last month in the city of Kisangani in Tshopo Province, as part of a campaign scheduled to cover 14 health zones across Tshopo, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele provinces. According to the Congolese National Institute of Public Health, more than 3,000 people in Tshopo Province and more than 700 people in Bas-Uele Province have already received the vaccine.

Source: QNA