The Covid-19 pandemic exposed major gaps in global health preparedness, but recent outbreaks of Ebola, hantavirus and mpox show that the world still struggles to ensure timely and equitable access to vaccines.

Infectious disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent, more widespread and harder to control, while vaccine access in many low-income countries continues to remain delayed. Global health experts now warn that pandemic risks are rising faster than investments in preparedness.

The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda has once again highlighted the consequences of delayed vaccine availability.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most promising vaccine candidate may take six to nine months to become available for clinical trials. Meanwhile, suspected Ebola cases have crossed 600, with deaths continuing to rise.

Why Delayed Vaccines MatterIn fast-spreading infectious diseases, time is critical. Delayed access to vaccines allows outbreaks to spread rapidly across communities and borders.

During the current Ebola outbreak, the virus reportedly circulated undetected for weeks before confirmation, partly because early tests failed to identify the correct strain.

By the time authorities recognised the outbreak, the infection had already spread across transport routes and international borders.

Similarly, during recent mpox outbreaks, vaccines reportedly took nearly two years to reach several affected African countries, even slower than the rollout seen during Covid-19.

Experts say this reflects a continuing global imbalance where richer nations secure vaccines quickly while lower-income regions wait longer despite being at the centre of outbreaks.

Source:Ndtv