Bundibugyo Ebola

The test detects the virus by identifying its genetic material in blood samples, allowing health workers to confirm infections quickly and accurately.

Unlike previous Ebola epidemics caused by the Zaire strain, the current Bundibugyo outbreak has no licensed vaccine or approved treatment, making research an urgent public health priority.

Gavi has indicated that proposals involving vaccine production in Africa will receive particular consideration as part of broader efforts to strengthen regional manufacturing capacity.

The announcement follows growing calls from public health advocates and humanitarian organizations urging the US government to share available supplies of MBP134 to support outbreak control efforts in Central Africa.

Japan will channel the support through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The funding comes at a critical time, with health officials warning that the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola could become one of the most severe in history.