Liberia rolls out Ebola vaccinations for health workers

Liberia on Friday began rolling out Ebola virus vaccines to health workers across the country.

Health Minister Wilhelmina Jallah, speaking at the government's information house on Thursday, said the decision was due to a reported outbreak of Ebola in Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea over the last few weeks.

Jallah said about 4,339 healthcare workers, including people residing along the border with Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea, will be vaccinated by the health ministry in collaboration with the national public health institute.

The vaccination, is designed to curtail "possible" transmission of the virus into Liberia, she said, adding refugees from Côte d'Ivoire will also be vaccinated.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, speaking recently on the current outbreak in Cote d'Ivoire, said the Ebola vaccine is a critical tool in the fight against the virus, and so it is a top priority.

Since the Ebola outbreak was declared in Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire this year, WHO has been supporting six countries, including Liberia, to prepare for a potential outbreak.

This includes support in disease surveillance, screenings at border crossings and high-risk communities as well as setting up rapid response teams, improving testing and treatment capacity and reinforcing community outreach and collaboration.