Trial Vaccine Deployment in Kampala
Ugandan health authorities are set to initiate an Ebola vaccine trial following a recent Ebola Outbreak that led to the death of a nurse in the capital city, Kampala. According to Pontiano Kaleebu, the executive director of the Uganda Virus Research Institute, over 2,000 doses of a candidate vaccine targeting the Sudan strain of Ebola Outbreak will be deployed as part of the response. While the vaccine is still unlicensed, efforts are being made to accelerate the approval process. Kaleebu emphasized that the research protocols are being finalized, and regulatory approvals are awaited.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Ugandan government’s efforts by providing access to the trial vaccine, as well as helping with field research and surveillance. The vaccine, which is not yet licensed, is being made available for clinical trials aimed at determining its efficacy and safety. The vaccine’s manufacturer is currently unknown, and authorities continue to investigate the outbreak’s origins.
Background on the Ebola Outbreak and Vaccine Efforts
The outbreak, which has claimed the life of one nurse at Kampala’s main referral hospital, was officially declared by health authorities the day after the nurse’s death. While the Sudan strain of Ebola, which caused this recent outbreak, does not yet have an approved vaccine, Ugandan officials are hopeful that the trial vaccine could mitigate further spread. The nurse’s death marks a significant event in the ongoing battle against Ebola in Uganda, which has faced multiple outbreaks in the past.
In 2022, Uganda managed to end a separate Ebola outbreak that killed at least 55 people. Although Uganda was unable to start a vaccine study in time for that outbreak, the country has had access to potential vaccines since then. Kaleebu noted that this setback was a result of time constraints as the outbreak was officially declared over after just four months.
In addition to the vaccine trial, contact tracing has become a critical part of the response. Health authorities have identified at least 44 contacts of the deceased nurse, including 30 health workers and patients, as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
Regional and Global Context
The outbreak in Uganda is part of a broader trend of viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in the East African region. Earlier this month, Tanzania declared an outbreak of Marburg disease, a virus closely related to Ebola. This follows a similar outbreak in Rwanda, which was declared over in December. The Marburg outbreak in northern Tanzania’s Kagera region has so far killed at least two people.
Kampala’s outbreak is expected to pose significant challenges due to the city’s large, mobile population of around four million people. The nurse who succumbed to the disease had sought treatment at a hospital near Kampala before traveling to Mbale in the eastern part of the country. Authorities also reported that the deceased had visited a traditional healer, further complicating the containment efforts.
Ebola, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids or contaminated materials, can cause symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle pain, with the possibility of both internal and external bleeding. Though scientists have yet to pinpoint the natural reservoir of Ebola, it is suspected that the virus is initially transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or consumption of their raw meat.
First identified in 1976, Ebola has caused numerous outbreaks in Africa, including the devastating 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which killed over 11,000 people. Uganda’s repeated encounters with the disease highlight the critical need for effective preventive measures and vaccines in the region.
