Francis Kateh, United Methodist physician, among volunteers for Ebola vaccine

Francis Kateh, a United Methodist physician, was among 12 volunteers who took an Ebola vaccine as the first large-scale trials of two experimental vaccines against the deadly virus began in Liberia.

“I had to come forward to take it since it is my duty to encourage people to volunteer their services in participating in this Ebola trial vaccine process,” said Kateh, chief medical officer of the Jackson F. Doe Memorial Hospital in Tappita, Liberia.

Scientists hope to immunize 30,000 volunteers. Kateh said he weighed the dangers of taking a trial vaccine, but decided to go ahead. He testified before Liberia’s legislature that the vaccine was in the best interests of the Liberian people and the rest of the world.