In a major milestone in the fight against deadly diseases, United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners announced on Tuesday, the establishment of a global Ebola vaccine stockpile, to help control future epidemics.

This initiative will ensure timely access to vaccines for populations at risk, during outbreaks. 

Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness, with fatality rates varying from 25 per cent to 90 percent. 

Thousands of people have lost their lives to the disease, since the virus was first discovered in 1976. 

Sankulleh Janko reports.