The border between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo is a busy town with over 50,000 people crossing every day for different economic activities
Over 198,000 residents of Rubavu and Rusizi districts, Western Province, have re ceived Ebola vaccine over the last two years. The vac cination campaign, dubbed Umurinzi, is part of precautionary measures to prevent the virus from crossing Rwanda-DR Congo border.
The two districts border DR Congo where the disease had been reported. Umurinzi Vaccination Campaign has been ongoing simultaneously with a clinical trial to test the vaccine on pregnant women. The vaccination targets 200,000 residents who frequently cross the border including traders, workers, students and frontline workers.
The two-dose vaccine is supplied by Jansen Pharmaceuticals of Johnson and Johnson. The doses are administered in an arm of a voluntary candidate two months apart. So far, 150,000 people have received both jabs while others wait for two months to receive the second jab. The campaign is expected to be concluded in July.
Rwanda is among nine countries bordering DR Congo. The border between both countries is a busy town with over 50,000 people crossing every day. This poses a permanent threat to Rwanda, according to the government.
Dr Julien Nyombayire, head of Medical Department at Project San Francisco, an implementation partner of Rwanda Biomedical Centre that is running Umurinzi Ebola Vaccination Campaign, told Rwanda Today that the targeted population is at risk as well as Rwanda.
“Ebola outbreaks are occurring more frequently and are affecting increasing number of individuals in at risk regions, hence posing a permanent threat to neighbouring territories, including Rwanda.
Therefore, long-term and efficient preventive tools such as a vaccine should be added to the overall Ebola prevention package in place,” Dr Nyombayire said. On February 7, an Ebola outbreak was announced in North Kivu, three months after the pandemic was declared over in November 2020.
Among the total 12 Ebola outbreaks recorded in DR Congo, five occurred in the last four years of which two had epicentres in the North Kivu Province.