Health Director-General Dr Patrick Amoth in a file photograph.
The Health Ministry seeks WHO vaccine supplies for 5,000 frontline personnel, but protection against the Bundibugyo virus remains unproven.
Kenya’s Ebola vaccine request seeks 10,000 doses from the World Health Organization to protect 5,000 healthcare workers and other frontline responders. The Ministry of Health wants the Zaire Ebola vaccine amid the Bundibugyo virus outbreak.
Health Director-General Dr Patrick Amoth said authorities hope the vaccine could offer cross-protection because the viruses share similarities. However, scientists have not established its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo species.
Ebola vaccine request targets frontline personnel
Amoth said the proposed vaccination would target personnel who face a heightened risk of exposure. These include workers involved in surveillance, patient care and outbreak response.
The request forms part of Kenya’s efforts to strengthen protection for frontline teams as authorities step up containment measures. It seeks vaccine supplies for healthcare workers as well as other responders.
Cross-protection remains uncertain
The Zaire Ebola vaccine targets the Zaire species of the Ebola virus, rather than the Bundibugyo species. Therefore, the possibility of protection against Bundibugyo still requires scientific evidence.
Amoth’s stated hope rests on similarities between the viruses, not demonstrated effectiveness against the outbreak strain. The proposed use would thus rely on possible cross-protection, which remains unproven.
