Uganda set to test two Ebola vaccines

The Ministry of Health has said plans are underway to start testing candidate vaccines for the Ebola Sudan strain in affected districts in Uganda to curb the spread.

One of the vaccines was developed by the Sabin Vaccine Institute in Washington DC, the United States, and the other one was developed by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The two vaccines are designed to fight both Ebola Sudan and Ebola Zaire strains.

Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health Minister, said in Kampala yesterday that the vaccines will be available through the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“These vaccines are now in their phase 2 and phase 3 trials. The safety phase [1] was completed. We will be giving the vaccines in the areas where we are having the Ebola outbreak,” Dr Aceng said.

She added: “We are hopeful that within the next one week, the vaccines will be here in the country and we shall begin.” Vaccines undergo three phases of a clinical trial before approval.

Dr Aceng said their interest will be to monitor how long the vaccine protection lasts. She was speaking at a high-level Emergency Inter-Ministerial Meeting on Cross Border Collaboration for Preparedness and Response to EVD. The meeting was held in Kampala.

The minister said the monoclonal antibodies, another trial drug that was provided by the US government, was also very effective on health workers who were discharged on Tuesday this week.

Up to 20 people have so far recovered from Ebola out of the 54 confirmed cases. Nineteen people have also succumbed to the disease since the outbreak was confirmed on September 19. The outbreak was triggered by Ebola Sudan.

The minister, however, asked Ugandans not to put all their focus on vaccines and drugs. “Let us focus on mobilisation of the community and engagement,” she said.