Monrovia, 10 October 2025: Senior Ministry of Health officials from twelve (12) African countries convened in Monrovia, Liberia, for a Regional High-Level Workshop on Preventive Ebola Vaccination, reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening regional preparedness by protecting healthcare and frontline workers and other at-risk groups from Ebola virus disease (EVD) through preventive vaccination under the theme “Strengthening the Frontlines – Prepare Today, Protect Tomorrow.” The Government of Liberia, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), and with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, hosted the two-day event, which united Ministries of Health, technical experts, and key partners from 12 African nations — Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Mali, Senegal, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan. The selected countries were chosen based on epidemiologic risk, either having experienced Ebola outbreaks in the past or sharing borders with countries with previous outbreaks. 

In 2024, the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommended the use of licensed Ebola vaccines for preventive use in populations at high risk of being exposed to Ebola. Since then, Gavi has funded preventive vaccination against Ebola in countries most at risk of outbreaks. Facilitators from WHO Headquarters, WHO Africa Regional Office, the Dakar Hub, and Gavi guided the discussions, joined by partners from Africa CDC, UNICEF, AFENET, PREVAIL, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and ECSAH, in a powerful demonstration of regional solidarity and commitment to protecting health workers and strengthening epidemic preparedness across Africa. Opening the workshop on 8 October, Dr. Cuallau Jabbeh Howe, Assistant Minister for Preventive Services, representing the Minister of Health of Liberia, welcomed delegates and partners, recalling the devastating impact of the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak that claimed thousands of lives and exposed the vulnerabilities of health systems across West Africa. “When communities see that their doctors and nurses are protected, it builds trust in vaccines and strengthens our health systems,” Dr Jabbeh noted. 

The workshop took place as the Democratic Republic of the Congo battles a new Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province, a stark reminder that Ebola outbreaks are unpredictable, often placing healthcare workers, our first line of defense, at great risk. Vaccinating them not only has the potential to reduce the scale of outbreaks, but also ensures that healthcare workers are protected against disease and can continue to serve their communities, reinforcing resilience.  Dr. Charles Ibeneme, representing Africa CDC, emphasized that preparedness is less costly than response. “The economic and emotional toll of Ebola outbreaks far outweighs the investment needed to protect our frontline heroes.”

In his remarks, Dr Abdullahi Sule, Officer in Charge, representing the WHO Representative in Liberia and the Africa Regional Director-WHO, emphasized the urgent need to safeguard healthcare and frontline workers as a foundation for building resilient systems. “This meeting marks a new chapter where Africa no longer reacts to Ebola, but anticipates, prevents, and protects,” Dr Abdullahi Sule stated. Preventive vaccination is an investment in resilience and is no longer experimental but a proven, evidence-based measure that saves lives and strengthens health systems”. He emphasized that Ebola preventive vaccination strengthens our collective readiness for future epidemics across the continent. Dr. Sule thanked Liberia’s leadership for hosting the regional workshop and reaffirmed WHO’s commitment, alongside Gavi, Africa CDC, and UNICEF, to provide ongoing technical support, readiness assessments, and operational planning assistance for participating countries. By taking action today, Africa is building a future where large epidemics are prevented, health systems protected and health workers remain safe on the frontlines of every response said Dr Sule during the closing session of the workshop.

Throughout the two-day workshop, participants exchanged experiences, reviewed lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks, and discussed operational strategies for preventive vaccination. The workshop reaffirmed preventive Ebola vaccination as a regional preparedness priority protecting health workers, reducing nosocomial amplification, and strengthening immunization systems. 
By the close of the meeting on 9th October 2025, all 12 participating countries committed to advance global health security by accelerating preventive Ebola vaccination in 2026.

The meeting concluded with a powerful shared pledge: “Prepare today, protect tomorrow — that is our collective promise to every health worker, every community, and every generation on this continent,”. Prior to this workshop, WHO held a two-day national advocacy meeting (6-7 October 2025) with the Liberia national stakeholders on preventive Ebola vaccination for health and frontline workers and other at-risk populations.