Amy Finan, CEO of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, is in Rwanda and met with the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, and State Minister of Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, in Kigali, as part of the effort to combat the ongoing Marburg virus outbreak.
Their discussions focused on enhancing the country’s response strategies, particularly the roll-out of the Marburg vaccine.
On October 10, Rwanda received approximately 1,000 doses of Sabin’s Marburg vaccine candidate, following an earlier shipment of 700 doses delivered on October 5. With a total of 1,700 doses now in the country, Rwanda has quickly initiated a vaccination campaign prioritizing frontline workers, especially healthcare providers.
This vaccination effort is part of a Phase 2 rapid response open-label study sponsored by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), with clinical protocols approved by Rwandan ethics and regulatory authorities.
The Marburg virus outbreak, declared on September 28, has led to 62 confirmed cases and 15 fatalities, predominantly among healthcare workers in a hospital cluster in Kigali . The rapid deployment of vaccines is a crucial component of Rwanda’s public health response, which is being supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO has classified the outbreak as a grade 3 emergency, highlighting its seriousness and the urgent need for effective interventions.
To further enhance the response, the Rwandan government, in collaboration with the WHO, is implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes contact tracing, active case searches, and community engagement . The Marburg virus is known for its severe hemorrhagic fever and high mortality rates, underscoring the importance of rapid intervention to prevent further spread.
The partnership between Rwanda and the Sabin Vaccine Institute is vital not only for protecting healthcare workers but also for gathering crucial data on vaccine efficacy in real-world conditions. This collaboration reflects a commitment to ensuring that vaccines are accessible in regions at high risk for infectious disease outbreaks.