Soumya Swaminathan says India can aid Bundibugyo Ebola response
India might play a big part in tackling the current Ebola crisis, according to World Health Organization (WHO) former chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan.
She highlighted how teaming up with WHO laboratories and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) could help create better tests, vaccines, and treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, which is tricky to spot and treat since most tools are made for other strains.
ICMR could speed monoclonal antibody development
Swaminathan pointed out that India has solid experience making diagnostics and vaccines, saying, India also has a big role to play in the R&D and the development of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines... through the ICMR, we can contribute to the rapid development of monoclonal antibodies,
The Bundibugyo outbreak in Congo has already led to more than 100 confirmed cases and several deaths.
With platforms like mRNA technology becoming more important for future outbreaks, India's COVID-19 vaccine success shows it can speed up solutions when it counts.