Ebola Outbreak 2024: Why Is There Still No Vaccine Or Treatment In The DRC And Beyond?

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has once again become the epicenter of a deadly Ebola outbreak, raising urgent questions about why a proven vaccine and treatments—available after past epidemics—have not yet been deployed at scale in this crisis. As of May 26, 2026, the outbreak has killed at least 220 people, with infections now confirmed in neighboring Uganda, signaling a regional threat. Health officials warn the virus is spreading faster than containment efforts, leaving communities in central Africa vulnerable.

This is not the first time the DRC has faced Ebola. Since 1976, the country has experienced at least 14 outbreaks, including the devastating 2018–2020 epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, which killed over 2,200 people. Yet despite these repeated crises—and the development of effective tools—vaccines and treatments remain underutilized in the current surge. Experts say logistical hurdles, funding gaps, and political instability in the region are delaying critical responses.

Why Aren’t Vaccines and Treatments Being Used?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved two Ebola vaccines: the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine (developed by Merck) and the Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN-Filo vaccine (developed by Johnson & Johnson). Both have demonstrated high efficacy in clinical trials, with the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine showing up to 97.5% protection in ring vaccination studies during the 2018–2020 outbreak. However, their deployment in the current crisis has been slower than anticipated.

One major barrier is supply chain constraints. The DRC’s health infrastructure is fragile, with limited cold-chain capacity to store and distribute vaccines, particularly in remote rural areas where outbreaks often begin. The rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine requires ultra-cold storage (−60°C to −80°C), while the Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN-Filo vaccine needs standard refrigeration (2°C to 8°C). Without reliable electricity or transport networks, reaching affected communities in time remains a challenge.

Funding is another critical bottleneck. The WHO’s Ebola response relies on donor contributions, but financial pledges have not kept pace with the current outbreak’s severity. In 2020, the global Ebola vaccine stockpile was established with funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, but stock levels have since been depleted by smaller outbreaks in Uganda and Sudan. As of May 2026, the DRC’s health ministry has requested additional doses, but delivery timelines remain uncertain.

Political and security factors also complicate responses. The DRC’s eastern provinces, where most cases are concentrated, are plagued by armed conflict, making it difficult for health workers to access affected villages. In some areas, local communities distrust outsiders, including vaccine teams, due to past experiences with violence or coercive health interventions. Without community engagement and trust, vaccination campaigns risk failing before they begin.

A Treatment Gap in the Midst of an Outbreak

While vaccines prevent infection, treatments for Ebola—such as monoclonal antibody therapies (e.g., mAb114 and REGN-EB3)—have also shown promise in clinical trials. In the 2018–2020 outbreak, these therapies reduced mortality rates from over 60% to as low as 23% in some studies. Yet their use in the current crisis has been limited.

One reason is production delays. Monoclonal antibody treatments require complex manufacturing processes, and global demand has outstripped supply. The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) recommended expanding access to these therapies in 2021, but scaling up production has proven difficult. Many Ebola treatment centers in the DRC lack the medical infrastructure to administer intravenous therapies, which require trained staff and sterile conditions.

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, a Congolese virologist and director of the National Institute of Biomedical Research, has repeatedly called for a coordinated, large-scale response to bridge the gap between available tools and their deployment. In a recent interview with The New York Times, he emphasized that the virus is far ahead of us in affected regions, where health systems are overwhelmed and misinformation spreads rapidly.

The virus is far ahead of us. We have the tools, but we don’t have the means to deliver them fast enough.

The New York Times

Regional Spread Raises Alarm

The confirmation of Ebola cases in Uganda marks the first time the virus has crossed the border since the 2018–2020 outbreak. Health officials in both countries are racing to contain the spread through contact tracing, quarantine measures, and vaccination of high-risk populations. However, the delay in responding—partly due to initial underreporting and diagnostic shortages—has allowed the virus to establish new transmission chains.

The Ugandan government has declared a national emergency and is working with the WHO to deploy vaccines. As of May 26, 2026, Uganda’s Ministry of Health reported at least seven confirmed cases, with more suspected. The risk of further spread to Rwanda, South Sudan, and the DRC’s neighboring provinces remains high, particularly given the region’s porous borders and frequent cross-border movement.

What Comes Next?

International health organizations are urging immediate action to prevent the outbreak from worsening. Key steps include:

• Accelerating vaccine deliveries: The WHO and CEPI have pledged to prioritize shipments of rVSV-ZEBOV and Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN-Filo vaccines to the DRC and Uganda, but logistics remain a hurdle.
• Strengthening treatment centers: Mobile clinics equipped to administer monoclonal antibody therapies are being deployed, but more funding is needed to expand capacity.
• Enhancing surveillance: The WHO is calling for increased lab testing and real-time data sharing to detect new cases early.
• Community engagement: Local leaders and religious figures are being trained to combat misinformation and encourage vaccination.
• Funding appeals: The WHO has launched an emergency appeal for $100 million to support the response, but only 30% of the target has been met so far.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, warned that every day without action is a day the virus gains ground. She added that this outbreak is a test of global solidarity, highlighting the need for sustained political will and financial support.

Every day without action is a day the virus gains ground. This outbreak is a test of global solidarity.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa (as reported by Forbes)

The current Ebola crisis in the DRC and Uganda underscores a painful reality: even with effective vaccines and treatments, public health emergencies in conflict-affected and resource-limited regions often become secondary priorities. Without urgent intervention, experts fear this outbreak could follow the tragic trajectory of past epidemics, claiming thousands more lives before This proves brought under control.

For updates on the response, the WHO provides real-time situation reports at who.int/ebola.

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