Gavi commits $50 million to support Uganda’s Ebola response and future vaccine access

The global vaccine alliance, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has announced up to US$50 million in emergency funding to support the response to the ongoing outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease, with a significant portion of the funding earmarked to accelerate the development and availability of vaccines against the virus.

The funding will be channelled through Gavi’s First Response Fund (FRF), a mechanism designed to provide rapid financing during health emergencies. Of the total allocation, up to US$40 million will be dedicated to accelerating vaccine access and manufacturing capacity, while a further US$10 million will support immediate outbreak response activities.

The approval represents the maximum amount that can be authorized directly by Gavi’s Chief Executive Officer without requiring additional approval from the organization’s board.

Speaking on the announcement, Sania Nishtar said urgent investments are needed to ensure vaccine manufacturers are prepared to produce doses quickly once an effective vaccine candidate becomes available.

“While we are some way off having a safe and effective vaccine against Bundibugyo virus, we need to act now to ensure that, once one or more vaccine candidates are ready, manufacturers are in a position to start producing doses at scale,” Nishtar said.

She noted that Gavi will work closely with Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and other partners to develop financial incentives that encourage manufacturers to accelerate production and licensing processes, including the possibility of advance purchase commitments.

The First Response Fund is currently the only globally approved mechanism that allows at-risk financing for vaccines still under development. This enables Gavi to make investments before the effectiveness of vaccine candidates has been fully established, helping reduce delays if a vaccine proves successful.

According to Gavi, the US$40 million allocation will enable manufacturers of leading Bundibugyo vaccine candidates to expand production capacity ahead of clinical trial results. The move is intended to ensure investigational doses can be rapidly deployed in outbreak settings should trials yield positive outcomes.

The alliance will work alongside the World Health Organization, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and other partners to finalise the financing framework in the coming weeks.

In addition to vaccine development support, Gavi said it would immediately release US$10 million to assist countries and health partners in implementing national outbreak response plans.

The funds will support measures aimed at protecting routine immunisation programmes, safeguarding healthcare workers and preparing health systems for the eventual deployment of vaccines.

Gavi said it would coordinate closely with affected countries and international partners, including the World Bank, to ensure resources complement ongoing response efforts.

The announcement comes as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak and prevent further transmission. Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which licensed vaccines already exist, there is currently no approved vaccine against the Bundibugyo species, making rapid research and manufacturing investments critical.

Gavi has previously played a key role in Ebola vaccination efforts, supporting vaccine stockpiles and emergency immunisation campaigns that have helped contain outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries.

The alliance says the latest investment is aimed not only at controlling the current outbreak but also strengthening preparedness for future Ebola emergencies across Africa.