Africa CDC Chief Blames Global Neglect for Lack of Bundibugyo Ebola Vaccine

The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, has blamed limited international attention to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola for the absence of an approved vaccine, arguing that the response might have been different if the outbreak affected Western countries.

Kaseya made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday. He argued that the strain had received less attention partly because it had caused fewer outbreaks than the Zaire strain, which he said had been responsible for more than 16 outbreaks.

“If this outbreak was in Western countries, vaccine would already be available,” Kaseya said, criticising what he described as a lack of interest among some international partners.

He said the Africa CDC was working to address the vaccine gap by supporting research and clinical trials of potential vaccine candidates. According to Kaseya, an African manufacturer based in Egypt was conducting clinical trials of a possible vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain.

The agency was also working with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to make Ervebo, a vaccine developed for the Zaire strain, available for clinical trials and compassionate use, he said. This effort is separate from developing a vaccine specifically targeting Bundibugyo, and the source did not establish that Ervebo is approved to prevent infection from that strain.

Kaseya said the efforts formed part of a broader push to strengthen Africa’s ability to develop and manufacture vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools. He called for stronger coordination among international partners and increased domestic investment so the continent would be better prepared for future public health emergencies.

He also said 28 African countries had contributed funds to support the outbreak response, describing their participation as an important step towards greater regional responsibility for health emergency financing. “After Ebola, Bundibugyo will not be like before Bundibugyo,” he said, referring to efforts to strengthen Africa’s capacity to respond to future outbreaks.

Nigeria confirmed its first reported case of Bundibugyo Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, according to the supplied report. The patient, a woman who had recently travelled from Uganda, was receiving medical care, while health authorities had identified 44 contacts for monitoring. The location where she contracted the virus remained under investigation.