Ebola vaccine stockpiles
The ICG manages the global stockpile of Ebola vaccine which was created as an additional tool to help control Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks. As EVD outbreaks are relatively rare and unpredictable in nature, and due to limited vaccine availability, the current Ervebo vaccine is reserved for outbreak response to protect people at the highest risk of contracting EVD – including health care and frontline workers in an outbreak – under a ring vaccination strategy.
Following SAGE recommendations, a global stockpile of 500,000 doses of Ebola vaccine has been constitute and will be available at all times for outbreak response. Started in January 2021, the Ebola vaccine global stockpile reach 436,980 doses in October 2022 (https://www.unicef.org/supply/emergency-vaccine-stockpile). WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and vaccine manufacturers are continuously assessing options to increase vaccine supply in case the global demand increases.
The ICG works with partners and stakeholders to use Ervebo vaccine in the context of an integrated EVD outbreak response strategy based on early detection, contact tracing, case management, infection prevention and control measures, safe and dignified burials, and raising awareness among the affected communities.
Since the establishment of ICG Ebola mechanism in 2021, a total 7,370 doses of Ervebo vaccine have been approved by the ICG to respond to two EVD outbreaks in DRC.
Accessing ICG Ebola vaccine stocks
To request access to ICG Ebola vaccine stocks, the country should submit the Ebola ICG request form, annexes and other required documents, as per the checklist in the request form, to the ICG secretariat (WHO Geneva). Any ICG member agency (IRFC, MSF, UNICEF, WHO) present in the country can also submit the application on behalf of the Ministry of Health. It is highly recommended that the country submits the request to the ICG secretariat within 7 days after confirmation of the outbreak. The ICG secretariat at WHO then circulates the request to the members (IFRC, MSF, UNICEF, and WHO) for review and assessment within 1 day after receiving the request. Additional information can be requested to the country, if needed.
Requests are evaluated taking into account the epidemiological situation, vaccination strategy, pre-existing stocks in the country and operational aspects of the epidemic response.
Following a rapid consultation and evaluation process, the ICG decision to release Ebola vaccines and other supplies is communicated to the requesting country within 2 working days, once all necessary information has been provided. If approved, UNICEF organizes the delivery of vaccines to the country, ideally within 7 days.
The ICG mandate is to respond to the outbreak and break the transmission of diseases as soon as possible in order to save as many lives as possible. Therefore, countries should implement the reactive vaccination campaign within 10 days after receiving the vaccines.