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UNICEF, WHO, IFRC and MSF announce creation of global stockpile of Ebola vaccines

The four major international organizations active in health and humanitarian action today announced the creation of a global stockpile of Ebola vaccines to respond to the outbreak.

The efforts to create this stock have been led by the International Coordination Group (ICG) for vaccine supply, of which the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) and Médecins sans frontières (MSF), with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This stock will enable countries, with the support of humanitarian organizations, to contain future epidemics of Ebola virus disease by ensuring populations at risk have rapid access to vaccines during outbreaks.

Single-dose injectable Ebola vaccine (rVSV∆G-ZEBOV-GP, live) is manufactured by Merck, Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Corp. and it was developed with the financial support of the government of the United States of America. Approved by the European Medicines Agency in November 2019, the Ebola vaccine is now prequalified by the WHO and approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America as well as in eight African countries.

Before being licensed, the vaccine had been administered under a “compassionate use” protocol under strict WHO surveillance, to more than 350,000 people in Guinea and during outbreaks of Ebola virus disease. that affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2018 to 2020.

The vaccine, which the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommends for use in Ebola virus disease outbreaks as part of a broader set of response tools, protects against the Ebola virus from Zaire strain, the one known to be the most common cause of outbreaks.

“The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that vaccines provide extremely effective protection against deadly viruses and therefore save lives. Ebola vaccines have helped prevent one of the world’s most feared diseases. This new stock is a perfect example of solidarity, science and cooperation between international organizations and the private sector to save lives, ”said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO.

UNICEF manages the stock on behalf of the GIC which, like the stocks of vaccines against cholera, meningitis and yellow fever, will decide on the release and allocation of the batches.

The stock is in Switzerland and the vaccines are ready to be shipped to countries in an emergency. The decision to allocate vaccines will be made within 48 hours of receiving a request from a country; the vaccines will be made available by the manufacturer with the packaging for the very low temperature cold chain to be shipped to countries within 48 hours of the decision. In total, the target delivery time is seven days.

“We are proud to be part of this unprecedented effort to help bring potential Ebola virus disease outbreaks under rapid control. We know that for epidemics, preparation is essential. This stockpile of Ebola vaccines is a remarkable achievement that will allow us to get vaccines to those who need them most as quickly as possible, ”said Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF.

As Ebola virus disease outbreaks are relatively rare and unpredictable, there is no natural market for the vaccine. Vaccines are purchased only to build up stock and are available in limited quantities. The Ebola vaccine is reserved for the epidemic response to protect those most at risk of contracting the disease – including caregivers and frontline workers.

“An important step has been taken. Over the past decade, Ebola virus disease has decimated several communities in West and Central Africa, still hitting the poorest and most vulnerable hard. In each outbreak, our volunteers risked their lives to avoid deaths. I hope that this stock of vaccines will considerably mitigate the impact of this terrible disease, ”said IFRC General Secretary Jagan Chapagain, he added.

“The creation of an Ebola vaccine stockpile under the ICG is a good thing. Immunization is one of the most effective measures to respond to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, and Ebola virus disease is no exception. The Ebola vaccine stockpile will make it possible to manage global stocks more transparently and quickly ship vaccine to where it is most needed, which MSF has called for during recent outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, ”said the Dre Natalie Roberts, Program Officer at the MSF Foundation

6,890 doses are now available in the event of an outbreak and additional doses will be added to the stockpile this month and then throughout 2021 and beyond. Depending on the pace of vaccine deployment, it could take two to three years for the emergency stockpile to reach 500,000 doses as recommended by SAGE. WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and vaccine manufacturers are continually assessing the possibilities of increasing vaccine supply if global demand increases.

About the International Coordination Group (ICG) for vaccine supply

The GIC was established in 1997, following major meningitis outbreaks in Africa, to manage and coordinate the provision of emergency vaccines and antibiotics to countries during large-scale outbreaks. It strives to improve cooperation as well as the coordination of epidemic preparedness and response.

About UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is present in some of the most difficult places on the planet and works to reach the most needy children. In more than 190 countries and territories, UNICEF works for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for all. For more information on UNICEF and its activities for children, see www.unicef.org. For more information on COVID ‑ 19, see www.unicef.org/coronavirus. To learn more about UNICEF’s work on COVID-19 vaccines, click here, or on vaccination in general, click here. Follow UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook.

About WHO

The World Health Organization is the lead agency for health in the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO has 194 Member States in six regions and more than 150 offices. Its mission is to promote health, preserve global security and serve vulnerable populations. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that one billion more people benefit from universal health coverage, one billion more people are better protected from emergencies and one billion more people benefit from universal health coverage. ‘better health and greater well-being.

For up-to-date COVID-19 data and public health advice to protect yourself from the coronavirus, please visit www.who.int and follow WHO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitch .

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