South Sudan is set to vaccinate healthcare workers operating in high-risk states bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Ebola virus disease (EVD).

The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Monday that the vaccination exercise will start in the capital, Juba on Dec. 19.

WHO said at least 60 people, including vaccinators, clinicians, social mobilizers, and logisticians drawn from four-high risk states were equipped with knowledge and skills on Ebola vaccine administration.

The UN health agency added that 2,160 doses of the Ebola vaccine (rVSV-ZEBOV) have been allocated to South Sudan and will be administered to protect against Ebola virus-Zaire, the strain that is confirmed in the current outbreak in DRC.

Antony Laku, Manager of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) at South Sudan's ministry of health, applauded the WHO intervention to assist South Sudan strengthen its Ebola prevention efforts.

Laku appealed to the targeted health workforce to comply, consent and get vaccinated to protect themselves and mitigate the risk of possible Ebola infection.

South Sudan is one of the three countries neighboring DRC at very high risk of possible Ebola virus disease importation.