KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo / RankWire.AI / – Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have launched a targeted Ebola vaccination effort in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo Province, to combat the country’s deadliest outbreak of the disease so far. Frontline healthcare workers, emergency response personnel, and those with direct contact with confirmed cases are being prioritized during the initial phase of distribution. Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed that the government has begun the immunization drive using doses of the Ervebo vaccine to protect frontline personnel working across the affected eastern regions.
Official data shows that the ongoing outbreak has spread across six eastern provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uele, and Bas-Uele. Statistics released by the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention report 5,713 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths in the country. The current case fatality rate among confirmed patients is roughly 48%.
International health agencies, including the World Health Organization, are supporting local medical teams with logistics, laboratory testing, and vaccine distribution efforts. Authorities are administering the Ervebo vaccine under a compassionate-use framework while medical researchers observe its effectiveness against the circulating viral strain. DR Congo has launched an Ebola vaccination campaign as health workers intensify ring-vaccination efforts around identified infection clusters to break transmission chains.
DR Congo Implements Vaccination Drive Across Affected Eastern Areas
Operational challenges are hindering logistics due to regional infrastructure issues, ongoing security issues, and high population movement across borders. Cold-chain systems are set up in Kisangani to keep vaccines at ultra-low temperatures before transport to remote health zones. DR Congo has launched a comprehensive Ebola vaccination effort, with civil defense and community health workers conducting educational outreach to enhance disease surveillance and reporting.
Epidemiologists from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are working with local response teams to monitor adverse events and assess immune responses among vaccinated populations. Officials stressed that early detection, isolation measures, and supportive care are key to increasing patient survival chances. Additional vaccine deliveries are planned as distribution expands to secondary health districts.
Kisangani Becomes Key Hub for Vaccine Distribution in the Region
National response teams are expanding contact tracing in urban and rural areas across the eastern province. Local health centers are receiving PPE, diagnostic reagents, and treatment supplies to boost readiness. Government agencies confirmed that public health measures will stay in place until transmission rates decline steadily across all affected provinces.
The government urged communities to cooperate fully with mobile vaccination teams and follow safety guidelines. Experts believe increasing immunization among high-risk groups will help stabilize infection numbers in the coming weeks. Enhanced surveillance will continue at transport hubs and border points to prevent further spread.