WHO commences Ebola vaccine trial in DR Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine amid the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus announced the development in a post on his official X handle on Friday, after the first participants were vaccinated in Bunia, in the country’s northeastern Ituri province.

The trial, called Tumaini, meaning “hope” in Swahili, will evaluate whether vaccine candidates can protect against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no vaccine has yet been approved.

“Science gives us hope. Today, in Bunia, DRC, the first participants were vaccinated in a new Ebola vaccine trial called Tumaini.

“This trial will help us understand whether any of the vaccine candidates designed for Bundibugyo virus work,” he wrote.

“In the meantime, the existing Everbo vaccine (licensed for use in preventing other Ebola virus disease) will be tested.

“Who is supporting this DRC-led effort to find answers and save lives?” he added.

Ervebo is the first vaccine to enter the trial, and it is licensed to prevent Ebola disease caused by the Zaire strain.

Researchers will examine whether it can also protect against the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current outbreak.

Two more vaccine candidates, developed by Moderna and the University of Oxford in partnership with the Serum Institute of India, are expected to join the study.

The trial will assess the safety, immune response, and effectiveness of the vaccine candidates. It will also apply a ring vaccination strategy, focusing on contacts of confirmed cases and other individuals at high risk of infection.

Figures released by organizations supporting the trial show that, as of October 21, the DRC had reported 9,552 cases and 4,602 deaths.

The outbreak, which was declared on May 15, 2026, led the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

The WHO said that Congolese health authorities and research institutions are leading the trial, with support from the WHO and international partners.

However, starting the trial does not indicate that a vaccine has been proven effective against the Bundibugyo strain.

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