Uganda has kicked off a clinical trial of a vaccine against Ebola. The first-ever vaccine trial for the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, marking a significant milestone in emergency vaccine trials.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, WHO, and various partners, has launched the Ebola vaccines promptly.
“This vaccination trial was initiated with record speed,” the World Health Organization, WHO, chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
The study focuses on health workers and individuals who have been exposed to the Ebola strain, commencing just four days after Uganda reported the death of a nurse in Kampala.
The deceased nurse had sought medical attention at a hospital near the capital before travelling to Mbale in eastern Uganda, where he was later admitted to a public hospital.
On Monday, two additional cases were confirmed among the nurse’s relatives.
Researchers from Makerere University and the Uganda Virus Research Institute, UVRI, have worked diligently to prepare for this trial within just four days of the outbreak confirmation on January 30.
This trial is the first to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a vaccine, specifically targeting Ebola, which causes the Sudan virus.
The rapid progress was made possible through advanced research readiness while adhering to all national and international regulatory and ethical standards.
Africanews/Shakirat Sadiq
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