Uganda has received 1,200 experimental vaccine doses designed to combat the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus for use in clinical trials. Since declaring an Ebola outbreak in September, the country has confirmed 142 cases of the Sudan strain, with 56 deaths.
There is currently no vaccine that has been shown to be effective against this strain of viral hemorrhagic fever. In what is known as ring vaccination, the vaccine will be given to people who have had contact with those who tested positive for the virus.
Researchers hope to enroll at least 3,000 people aged six and up in the study, which will be led by a team of Ugandan scientists.
The World Health Organization donated the vaccine, which was developed by the Sabin Institute in the United States, to the Ugandan government. It has already been shown in human trials to be safe for use.
In Uganda, there have been no new positive cases in nearly three weeks, and the last of those hospitalized were released on November 30. There have been concerns that the vaccine doses arrived at the tail end of the Ugandan epidemic.
However, Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has stated that the study is still necessary in order to equip the country with all of the public health tools required to combat similar outbreaks in the future.
