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RDC : À Bulape, la vaccination consolide la protection des communautés dans la dernière phase de la riposte à Ebola

Expanded vaccination drive protecting communities against Ebola

11 November 2025 | Democratic Republic of Congo

Bulape, Democratic Republic of the Congo — As the Democratic Republic of the Congo counts down to declare the end of its sixteenth Ebola outbreak that erupted in Kasai Province, response teams are sustaining efforts to protect communities through vaccination, helping to strengthen preventive measures and reducing the risk of resurgence of the virus.

Teams of vaccinators from the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) are carrying out targeted vaccination in the most affected villages, reaching communities and families in their settings.

 

Since the start of Ebola vaccination in Bulape Health Zone and neighboring localities on 14 September 2025, more than 44 000 people have been vaccinated, thanks to coordinated efforts by the health authorities and partners, with financial support from the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare, the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and WHO.

Families are turning out voluntarily, encouraged by local leaders, community mobilizers and health teams. Bethy, a resident of Bulape, was vaccinated at the local health centre. “We’ve seen the dangerous effects of this deadly disease. Getting vaccinated means protecting yourself and those you love,” she says. Proudly showing her vaccination card, Bethy says vaccination is an act of love and responsibility toward her family and community.

Working closely with local authorities and community mobilizers, vaccination teams set up in locations that are easily accessible to residents. More than 45 000 vaccine doses were delivered to Bulape and cold chain system established to ensure sufficient vaccine effectiveness and coverage.

Esther Kongo Tshinga, who has worked as a vaccinator for four years, says she receives families with kindness and patience. “We go to people, we take the time to talk with them, to understand their fears. Trust cannot be summoned. It is built step by step,” she says. For her, vaccination is more than a technical work. It is a commitment to her own community. “Here, everyone knows me. I protect others, but I also protect myself. I can’t recommend vaccination if I don’t believe in it. I myself am vaccinated,” says Kongo.

Shortly after being vaccinated, Thérèse Kamonyi Shamba, 64, holds her vaccination card proudly: “At my age, I’ve seen many diseases come and go. Today, we’re lucky to have a vaccine. I want to stay healthy and protect my grandchildren,” she says. Each vaccinated individual is an effort towards collective protection—essential to interrupting virus transmission in the community.

The vaccination strategy has been adjusted as the outbreak response progressed and adapted to the epidemiological situation. Teams initially prioritized the highest-risk areas to quickly break chains of transmission. “We first protected contacts of confirmed cases, then gradually expanded vaccination to the most exposed areas. This targeted approach now allows us to consolidate progress and break the transmission chain as the countdown progresses,” Dr Jules Bukasa, who leads vaccination in the Ebola response, explains.

Vaccination is part of a broader effort to consolidate progress already made in the response. Beyond stopping transmission, it aims to protect families in the long term and strengthen the community’s resilience in case of a new outbreak. “Vaccination is not a standalone action. It’s a major pillar of epidemic control. Each vaccinated person reduces the risk of transmission and strengthens community resilience,” says Dr Mory Keita, WHO Incident Manager for Ebola response.

Response efforts are being maintained to ensure that the outbreak is ended and communities are protected. Disease surveillance, vaccination, infection prevention and other public health measures are critical to ensure an effective response to any flare-up of the virus as the country counts down to declare the outbreak over.

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