Four leading international health and humanitarian organisations have established a global Ebola vaccine stockpile

The stockpile was created by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision, which includes the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Médecins Sans Frontières, with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The stockpile will allow countries, with the support of humanitarian organisations, to contain future Ebola epidemics by ensuring timely access to vaccines for populations at risk during outbreaks.

The vaccine has already been administered to more than 350,000 people in Guinea and in the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a protocol for “compassionate use”.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is reminding us of the incredible power of vaccines to save lives from deadly viruses,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“This new stockpile is an excellent example of solidarity, science and cooperation between international organisations and the private sector, to save lives.”

The stockpile is stored in Switzerland and is ready to be shipped to countries for emergency response.

“We know that when it comes to disease outbreaks, preparedness is key. This Ebola vaccine stockpile is a remarkable achievement – one that will allow us to deliver vaccines to those who need them the most, as quickly as possible,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.