Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo inatarajiwa kupokea dozi 70,000 za chanjo ya Ervebo kutoka kwa akiba ya kimataifa ya Shirika la Afya Duniani ili kukabiliana na mlipuko mkubwa wa Ebola uliogundulika katikati ya mwezi Mei. Mlipuko wa sasa, unaosababishwa na aina ya virusi vya Bundibugyo, tayari umewambikiza watu 5,208 na kusababisha vifo vya watu 2,476.
Kati ya dozi hizo, dozi 20,000 zitatumika kwenye majaribio ya kliniki ili kubaini kama chanjo ya Ervebo inaweza kutoa kinga dhidi ya virusi vya Bundibugyo, kwani kwa kawaida imethibitishwa kufanya kazi dhidi ya virusi vya Ebola pekee. Dozi 50,000 zilizobaki zitatengwa kwa ajili ya kuwalinda wahudumu wa afya na wafanyakazi wengine walio mstari wa mbele.
==========
As the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles to manage its largest outbreak of the Ebola virus, it is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine which has been effective in previous epidemics.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the doses have been allocated from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile and would include 20,000 shots to be used in a late-stage trial to understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus.
Bundibugyo is responsible for the current outbreak, which has so far killed 2,476 people out of the 5,208 confirmed cases.
The Ervebo vaccine is licensed for use against the Ebola virus – one of the viruses that cause Ebola disease – but not for Bundibugyo.
“It is not known whether Ervebo may be protective against the Bundibugyo virus in humans,” the WHO said, stressing the importance of clinical trials to provide new evidence.
To date, no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for the Bundibugyo virus.
The Congolese government requested last week a release of Ervebo vaccines from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision.
The remaining 50,000 shots will be used for front line and health workers, following recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, the WHO said.
The Geneva-based global vaccine alliance, Gavi, said it would provide $7m to fund the shipment to the DRC, along with another $6m to help with vaccination efforts in high-risk areas.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general, told reporters on Thursday that humanitarian agencies were warning of the continued spread of the outbreak as authorities seek to manage it.
“Our senior Ebola coordinator on the ground, Julian Harneis, said the government and our partners are scaling up the response with five operational priorities, including tripling safe care capacity, strengthening community engagement, doubling the number of safe and dignified burial teams and expanding disease surveillance and increasing support for the most vulnerable,” he said.
With support from the UN and its partners, the Congolese government also launched the “Congo River Without Ebola” initiative to intensify their response by strengthening disease surveillance and preparedness.
The current outbreak was declared in mid-May, but some experts suspect it began as early as February.
Source: Al jazeera
Kati ya dozi hizo, dozi 20,000 zitatumika kwenye majaribio ya kliniki ili kubaini kama chanjo ya Ervebo inaweza kutoa kinga dhidi ya virusi vya Bundibugyo, kwani kwa kawaida imethibitishwa kufanya kazi dhidi ya virusi vya Ebola pekee. Dozi 50,000 zilizobaki zitatengwa kwa ajili ya kuwalinda wahudumu wa afya na wafanyakazi wengine walio mstari wa mbele.
Soma pia:Mlipuko wa Ebola DRC: Idadi ya Waathirika Yazidi Kuongezeka Mashariki mwa Nchi
Ili kufanikisha mpango huo, taasisi ya kimataifa ya Gavi imetoa dola milioni 13, ambapo dola milioni 7 zitatumika kufadhili usafirishaji wa chanjo na dola milioni 6 zikielekezwa katika kuwezesha zoezi la utoaji chanjo kwenye maeneo yenye hatari kubwa. Wakati huo huo, Umoja wa Mataifa na Serikali ya Kongo wamezindua mpango wa "Mto Kongo Bila Ebola" ili kuimarisha ufuatiliaji wa ugonjwa, kuongeza timu za mazishi salama, na kupanua uwezo wa kutoa huduma za matibabu kwa waathirika.==========
As the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles to manage its largest outbreak of the Ebola virus, it is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine which has been effective in previous epidemics.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the doses have been allocated from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile and would include 20,000 shots to be used in a late-stage trial to understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus.
Bundibugyo is responsible for the current outbreak, which has so far killed 2,476 people out of the 5,208 confirmed cases.
The Ervebo vaccine is licensed for use against the Ebola virus – one of the viruses that cause Ebola disease – but not for Bundibugyo.
“It is not known whether Ervebo may be protective against the Bundibugyo virus in humans,” the WHO said, stressing the importance of clinical trials to provide new evidence.
To date, no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for the Bundibugyo virus.
The Congolese government requested last week a release of Ervebo vaccines from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision.
The remaining 50,000 shots will be used for front line and health workers, following recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, the WHO said.
The Geneva-based global vaccine alliance, Gavi, said it would provide $7m to fund the shipment to the DRC, along with another $6m to help with vaccination efforts in high-risk areas.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general, told reporters on Thursday that humanitarian agencies were warning of the continued spread of the outbreak as authorities seek to manage it.
“Our senior Ebola coordinator on the ground, Julian Harneis, said the government and our partners are scaling up the response with five operational priorities, including tripling safe care capacity, strengthening community engagement, doubling the number of safe and dignified burial teams and expanding disease surveillance and increasing support for the most vulnerable,” he said.
With support from the UN and its partners, the Congolese government also launched the “Congo River Without Ebola” initiative to intensify their response by strengthening disease surveillance and preparedness.
The current outbreak was declared in mid-May, but some experts suspect it began as early as February.
Source: Al jazeera