Geneva / Addis Ababa, 20 August 2026 — The World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have welcomed the allocation of 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the country confronts an ongoing outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease. The release, approved by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG), marks the first time the global Ebola vaccine stockpile has been deployed against a virus species for which the vaccine was not originally designed.
The DRC government requested the release last week, and on Monday the ICG confirmed an immediate initial allocation. The doses are split between two critical purposes: 20,000 doses will support a Phase 3 clinical trial to determine whether Ervebo offers protection against the Bundibugyo virus, and 50,000 doses will be used to immunise frontline and health workers in line with current recommendations from the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
A Vaccine Designed for a Different Virus
Ervebo is licensed and recommended for use against Ebola virus disease, previously known as Zaire ebolavirus. The Bundibugyo virus, however, is a distinct species within the Ebolavirus genus, first identified in 2007 during an outbreak in the Bundibugyo District of western Uganda. It is not currently known whether Ervebo provides protection against Bundibugyo virus in humans. Early laboratory and animal data suggest it may offer some cross-protection, but definitive clinical evidence has been lacking.
The Phase 3 clinical trial embedded within this outbreak response is designed to close that evidence gap. By collecting rigorous data on the vaccine's impact on the Bundibugyo virus, the trial is expected to provide the scientific foundation that policy-makers need to inform future use of Ervebo in Bundibugyo outbreaks.
Ethical Imperatives and Community-Led Response
WHO and Africa CDC have emphasised that people offered the vaccine — whether in the trial or through the frontline worker immunisation campaign — must receive clear information about the risks, potential benefits, and limitations of using Ervebo against the Bundibugyo virus, and must be able to provide informed consent.
Both organisations have expressed strong support for the DRC's community-led approach, which empowers affected populations to play a central role in the response. This strategy draws on lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks in the region, where community trust proved decisive in controlling transmission.
The ICG Mechanism
The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision was established in 1997 following major outbreaks of meningitis in Africa. It serves as a mechanism to manage and coordinate the provision of emergency vaccine supplies and antibiotics to countries during major outbreaks. The founding partner institutions are the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières, UNICEF, and WHO. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, provides funding for the stockpile.
The ICG's core mandate is to ensure equitable access to licensed vaccines for cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, and Ebola virus disease during outbreaks. The Ebola vaccine stockpile has been operational since January 2021 and represents a critical tool in global outbreak preparedness.
Broader Context
The Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC adds to a complex humanitarian and health landscape in the country, where multiple disease outbreaks, conflict, and displacement have strained an already fragile health system. The WHO's 2026 humanitarian appeal, launched in February, sought nearly US$1 billion to support health services across 36 global emergencies, with the DRC among the most critical settings.
Africa CDC and WHO have reiterated their unified commitment to supporting the Government of the DRC in protecting affected communities, saving lives, and bringing the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak to an end while simultaneously generating the scientific evidence needed to strengthen Africa's preparedness for future outbreaks.
Sources
- WHO, "WHO and Africa CDC welcome the allocation of Ebola vaccines to the Democratic Republic of the Congo," 20 August 2026,
- WHO, "Ebola disease fact sheet," 24 April 2025,
- WHO, "WHO emergency guidance on the use of licensed Ebola virus vaccine during Bundibugyo virus disease outbreaks," 28 May 2026
- WHO, "Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026,"
- International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision,
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Institutional Research Desk · Foresight Institute of Research and Translation
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