By Divine Sam

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has explained why there is currently no approved vaccine for the Ebola strain responsible for the latest outbreak affecting parts of Africa, raising concerns about the continent’s preparedness for the deadly disease.

The Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, made the clarification during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, arguing that the international response to Ebola has been influenced by how the disease is perceived globally.

“If this outbreak was in Western countries, vaccines would already be available,” Kaseya said.

According to the report, the ongoing outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain of Ebola for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available.

Kaseya explained that the situation differs from the Ebola strain responsible for the devastating 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak. That strain has an approved vaccine known as Ervebo, while the Bundibugyo strain remains without a licensed vaccine.

However, efforts are underway to address the gap. The Africa CDC chief disclosed that clinical trials have commenced for potential vaccines, including a new candidate developed in Egypt specifically for the Bundibugyo strain.

He also described the current outbreak as the most geographically widespread in history, with the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for more than 9,500 reported infections and approximately 4,600 deaths, according to the figures cited in the report.

Nigeria has also confirmed a case linked to the outbreak. The patient, a woman who arrived from Uganda on October 3, was confirmed as the country’s first case on Tuesday. Following the confirmation, health authorities began monitoring 44 contacts to identify any possible further transmission.

The absence of an approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain has heightened concerns about the need for stronger international cooperation, faster vaccine development and improved public health preparedness across affected countries.