Countries most at risk of Ebola outbreaks can now apply for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s support for preventative vaccines against the deadly disease.
Gavi’s commitment to Ebola vaccination dates back to 2014, when the board committed funding to procure vaccines when a safe and effective vaccine becomes available. The multilateral funder has since supported the use of Ebola vaccines for outbreak response. But on Thursday, it announced that it will begin funding preventive vaccination against Ebola, which has a case fatality rate ranging from 25% to 90%, based on past outbreaks.
The move comes after the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization — known as SAGE — decision last month to recommend preventive vaccination of health care and front-line workers in countries with a history of Ebola outbreaks. Health care and front-line workers are at high risk of contracting Ebola, given their role in treating patients and controlling an outbreak.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
