In a statement issued from Geneva on Thursday, Gavi said the outbreak, already declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, underscores the urgent need for coordinated international intervention.

Health authorities have reported more than 500 suspected infections and over 130 deaths in the DRC, while confirmed cases have also emerged in Kampala, Uganda, signaling cross-border transmission risks and a rapidly evolving public health crisis.

The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease (BVD), for which there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics. Gavi warned that the situation is further complicated by population displacement, insecurity, and limited healthcare access in affected communities.

“The outbreak requires a country-led, highly coordinated and evidence-based response,” the alliance said.

Vaccine Supply Constraints Raise Global Health Concerns

Gavi noted that while it finances the global Ebola vaccine stockpile, existing licensed vaccines are designed for the Zaire ebolavirus strain and not the Bundibugyo variant currently responsible for the outbreak.

The alliance cautioned that evidence on cross-protection remains extremely limited, meaning any deployment of existing Ebola vaccines would require further scientific assessment, adherence to WHO guidance, and informed consent from affected populations.

The development exposes a significant gap in global epidemic preparedness, particularly for less common Ebola strains that have historically received lower levels of research funding and commercial interest.

Experimental Vaccine Candidates Under Review

Gavi said it is working alongside Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, Pandemic Fund, and private-sector partners to assess experimental vaccine candidates currently in development.

Among the leading candidates identified by WHO are:

• An rVSV-platform vaccine targeting Bundibugyo ebolavirus, based on the same technology used in the licensed Ervebo vaccine for Zaire Ebola. However, no doses are currently available for clinical trials, and production timelines are estimated at six to nine months.
• A ChAdOx-platform candidate vaccine, using technology similar to some COVID-19 vaccines. However, no animal or human trial data currently exists for the vaccine’s effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus disease.

The absence of ready-to-deploy vaccines highlights ongoing structural challenges in financing vaccine research for outbreak-prone diseases with uncertain commercial returns.

Gavi Weighs Use of $500 Million Emergency Fund

The alliance is also evaluating the possible deployment of its First Response Fund (FRF), a $500 million emergency financing mechanism established after lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FRF was designed to accelerate access to vaccines outside Gavi’s standard portfolio during global health emergencies through mechanisms such as advance purchase commitments and at-risk manufacturing support.

Under the framework, up to $50 million can be approved directly by Gavi’s Chief Executive Officer for rapid emergency response, while larger disbursements require board approval.

According to Gavi, the fund could be used to incentivise vaccine manufacturers to accelerate production of promising Bundibugyo vaccine candidates while also supporting routine immunisation systems in affected countries.

The mechanism was previously deployed during the recent mpox outbreak, where it helped secure 500,000 vaccine doses and supported outbreak logistics with nearly $10 million in delivery funding.

Economic and Investment Implications

The resurgence of Ebola in Central and East Africa is expected to place additional pressure on fragile healthcare systems and could impact trade, transport, mining activities, and investor confidence across parts of the region if containment efforts falter.

Public health analysts say the outbreak also serves as a reminder of the growing intersection between global health security and economic resilience, especially as governments and multilateral institutions face tightening development finance conditions.

For vaccine manufacturers and biotech firms, the outbreak may also trigger renewed interest in neglected disease research and public-private funding models aimed at strengthening Africa’s epidemic preparedness infrastructure.

These measures, coordinated by our members and their partners, include safeguarding school-going children, running awareness campaigns and the provision of hand washing facilities in public places in Karamoja. Members are also extending preventive mechanisms to other vulnerable populations in Northern sub-regions.

To date, 135 Ebola cases have been confirmed with 53 associated deaths reported; inclusive of healthcare workers, on whom the virus has meted a heavy toll.

Mubende district is the most affected, reporting 54.7% of all confirmed cases. The other affected districts are Bunyangabu, Kagadi, Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Wakiso, and the capital, Kampala.

Most identified cases are currently being diagnosed after five days of symptoms, which infers that people have most likely already spread the virus unknowingly.

There is a high risk the death toll could increase, and the government has projected 500 fatalities by April 2023.

Start Network, with presence in over 80 countries across five continents, activated the Ebola anticipatory alert in early November 2022.

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), a Start Network member,  will be leading the concerted efforts to curb the spread and fatalities of the Ebola outbreak.

CAFOD and partners will focus on Karamoja and Northern Uganda to prevent the heightened risk of spread over the holiday period; a time when schools are closed and where travel and human interaction increase.

Communities targeted by intervention measures still contend with hunger as a result of the recent drought and cascading impacts of COVID-19. An Ebola outbreak within this population would therefore be catastrophic and must be curbed early, to minimise death and hospitalisation within these regions, or the possibility of spread into neighboring countries.

In a statement by Robert Cruickshank, CAFOD’s Senior Emergency Response Manager, “The Ugandan government and the WHO have acted speedily to control the outbreak however, any Ebola outbreak has the potential to have deadly consequences for communities across the country, if preventative action was not taken quickly. As we have seen with previous Ebola outbreaks: inaction, public misunderstanding and insufficient supply of medical equipment and personnel can be disastrous. This is why early action is so critical, as it not only prioritizes using existing, trusted community structures like schools, churches and mosques to raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease, but also in preventing its spread through improved hygiene, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and access to trained medical professionals.”

He added, “At CAFOD, through our partners, we’ve enacted a programme to raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease and how to prevent infection, whilst ensuring communities have access to trained medical staff and improved hygiene”, he said.

Current funding and resources are being directed to districts where there are already confirmed cases and this assistance is primarily in the form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training for key health workers.

The planned interventions are jointly being delivered by local governments and NGOs to ensure that they are effective, appropriate and fulfil the mandate of raising awareness.

“Caritas Kotido Diocese has been very helpful in ensuring we sensitize our communities on disease outbreaks, from COVID-19 and now Ebola. I thank you for involving all structures, LC1S, VHTs, S/C’s, health facilities and the district task force in the program. I am confident the communities will receive the message because of the effective project planning. I assure the team of our full support to prevent Ebola spread in Karamoja and Uganda,” says the District Health Officer (DHO) of Karenga District.

The Karenga community leader, Ocailap Geoffrey says – “We are not saying that Ebola is amongst us here and in the communities, but we are preparing ourselves to handle any situation in case it appears. We thank Caritas Kotido Diocese for the support. We appreciate you as the first partners to come out in the fight against this anticipated outbreak. We assure you of the district’s support. I am organizing a team comprising of myself (RDC), LC5, DHO, DPC and DISO for community sensitization and barazas to ensure the Ebola message reaches the communities in Karenga district.”