Health
WHO launches clinical trial for new Ebola treatment in DR Congo
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched an international clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to evaluate two experimental treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a rare form of Ebola, as the country battles an ongoing outbreak.
The trial, known as the Platform Adaptive Randomised Trial for New and Repurposed Filovirus TreatmentS (PARTNERS), began enrolling patients on Thursday, WHO said in a statement.
The study will assess whether the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir can reduce deaths among people infected with the Bundibugyo virus. Researchers will also investigate whether combining the two medicines provides better outcomes than using either treatment alone.
The trial is sponsored by WHO and coordinated by the Institut National pour la Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other international research and humanitarian partners.
Search for effective treatment
The trial comes as the DRC continues to battle a Bundibugyo virus outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people and claimed 440 lives, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatment.
WHO said there are currently no approved medicines specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease, although treatments exist for some other Ebola virus species.
“The trial comes as the DRC continues to grapple with a Bundibugyo virus outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people. Nearly 210 patients have recovered, while about 440 people have died, underscoring the urgent need for effective treatment options.”
According to the organisation, the WHO Technical Advisory Group selected MBP134 and remdesivir after reviewing available scientific evidence, including laboratory findings, safety data and lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks.
Participants in the study will be monitored for at least 28 days after enrolment while receiving supportive care, including fluid replacement, oxygen therapy, blood pressure management and pain relief in line with WHO treatment guidelines.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the trial offers hope to patients and affected communities.
“The PARTNERS trial, established with national authorities and scientific partners in record time, offers real hope that we can deliver concrete results for and with the communities at the heart of the outbreak.”
He noted that while some patients recover without specific treatment, effective medicines could significantly improve survival.
Why the trial matters
WHO said the adaptive design of the study allows researchers to add and evaluate new treatments as scientific evidence emerges, enabling a faster response during disease outbreaks.
Amanda Rojek, PARTNERS Trial Operations Lead at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, said one of the major lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks was that research should be conducted alongside emergency response efforts rather than after outbreaks have ended.
She said the study could generate evidence quickly enough to guide treatment decisions during the current outbreak, potentially producing results within months.
The Director-General of the Institut National pour la Recherche Biomédicale, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, said integrating the trial into routine patient care would allow patients to access promising investigational therapies while helping scientists improve responses to future outbreaks.
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“By integrating this trial into clinical care, we are giving patients access to promising investigational treatments while generating the evidence needed to improve care for current and future outbreaks,” he said.
The DRC’s Health Minister, Samuel Kamba, described the launch of the PARTNERS trial as a major milestone for the country’s public health response, expressing optimism that it could identify more effective treatments, save lives during the current outbreak and strengthen global preparedness for future Ebola outbreaks.
Ebola
Bundibugyo virus disease is one of the six known species of the Ebola virus. It was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and causes symptoms similar to other forms of Ebola, including fever, severe weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which licensed vaccines and treatments exist, there are currently no approved vaccines or medicines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo virus.
The Yobe State Government has approved the enrolment of state and local government retirees into the Social Equity Programme of its health insurance scheme.
The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA), Babagana Tijjani, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Damaturu.
Mr Tijjani said the approval was granted by Governor Mai Mala Buni following a recommendation from the agency.
He said the initiative aims to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare spending among pensioners and improve access to comprehensive, quality healthcare services at YSCHMA-accredited health facilities.
According to him, the approval underscores the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of retirees by ensuring they continue to access quality healthcare after retirement.
“This approval is another demonstration of the governor’s commitment to protecting the health and well-being of residents of the state,” he said.
“By bringing retirees under the social equity programme, the government is ensuring that senior citizens can access quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.”
The executive secretary further said that the inclusion of retirees in the scheme aligned with the administration’s healthcare reform agenda and the state’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
He also described the development as a significant step in expanding access to healthcare and strengthening social protection.
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Mr Tijjani commended the governor for approving the initiative and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to its effective implementation.
He said the YSCHMA would work closely with pension unions, relevant government institutions and healthcare providers to ensure a transparent enrolment process and seamless access to healthcare services for eligible beneficiaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the YSCHMA was established under Yobe State Law No. 7 of 2019 to implement the state’s contributory healthcare scheme and promote equitable, affordable and qualitative healthcare services for residents.
The federal government has launched the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services.
The framework introduces nutrition standards for food purchased with public funds as part of efforts to reduce unhealthy diets and curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
The guidelines, unveiled on Monday in Abuja at an event themed “Public Procurement of Food: Promoting a Culture of National Wellness Through the Food Value Chain,” are expected to influence food served in public institutions, including schools, hospitals, correctional centres and military establishments, by setting evidence-based standards on nutrition, food safety and quality.
Delivering his keynote address at the launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, said the initiative marks a shift from viewing public procurement as a routine administrative process to using it as a strategic tool to improve public health and national development.
“When the government demands healthier, safer and more nutritious food, it creates incentives for the entire food system to innovate, improve quality and align with higher public health standards,” he said.
Why it matters
Mr Salako said the government remains the country’s largest institutional purchaser of food, meaning procurement decisions have the potential to influence food production, consumer behaviour and nutrition standards across the food value chain.
According to him, the guidelines establish limits on sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats in foods procured by public institutions while encouraging balanced and nutritious diets.
He said the document complements existing national policies, including the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, the Trans Fat Regulation and the 2023 National Policy on Food Safety and Quality.
Rising burden of unhealthy diets
Mr Salako noted that unhealthy diets contribute to about 7.2 million deaths globally every year, driven largely by excessive consumption of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats as well as inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
He revealed that the average Nigerian adult consumes between 3.9 grammes and 4.9 grammes of sodium daily, almost double the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2 grammes.
Mr Salako added that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, prompting the introduction of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, while industrial trans fats have also been restricted under Nigeria’s Trans Fatty Acid Regulation.
“These measures are designed to control dietary patterns that fuel the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, placing enormous pressure on health systems, national economies and household incomes,” he said.
Child malnutrition remains a concern
Mr Salako also highlighted the country’s persistent nutrition challenges, noting that malnutrition remains a direct or underlying cause of nearly half of the deaths among children under five years.
He said the Nigeria Mini Demographic and Health Survey found that about four in every 10 Nigerian children under five are stunted, while nearly two million children suffer severe acute malnutrition annually.
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“These are not merely health statistics. They represent profound human capital challenges with significant implications for educational attainment, labour productivity, household prosperity, national competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.”
Implementation key
Mr Salako stressed that the success of the guidelines would depend on effective implementation rather than their launch.
He urged procurement and accounting officers across government institutions to ensure compliance, noting that procurement decisions influence health outcomes, productivity and public confidence in government.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to promote disease prevention through healthier public policies as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
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