WHO Takes Major Step in Fight Against Ebola in DR Congo

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commenced the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in a bid to establish whether existing vaccine candidates can protect against the virus strain responsible for the outbreak.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced the development on Friday through his official X account after the first participants received vaccinations in Bunia, in the northeastern Ituri Province.

Dubbed Tumaini, the Swahili word for “hope”, the trial will assess whether vaccine candidates can provide protection against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine currently exists.

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“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,” Tedros wrote.

He explained that the trial would initially assess Ervebo, a vaccine licensed to prevent Ebola disease caused by the Zaire strain, while the WHO supports the Congolese-led research effort.

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

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

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The trial will assess the safety of the vaccine candidates, their ability to trigger immune responses and their effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain.

Researchers will also adopt a ring vaccination strategy, which involves targeting contacts of confirmed cases and other individuals at heightened risk of infection.

Figures released by organisations supporting the trial indicated that the DRC had recorded 9,552 cases and 4,602 deaths as of October 21.

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

The trial is being led by Congolese health authorities and research institutions, with technical and operational support from the WHO and international partners.

However, the commencement of the study does not establish that any of the vaccine candidates is effective against the Bundibugyo strain, as that remains a central question the trial is expected to address.

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