WHO Distributes Mpox Vaccines To Hard-Hit African Countries; DRC To Get Largest Share

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health agencies announced on Wednesday that 899,000 doses of mpox vaccines will be distributed across nine African countries hit hardest by the recent mpox surge. 

This allocation marks a crucial step in responding to the spread of the clade Ib variant, which prompted WHO to declare mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in August, following the variant’s spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighbouring nations.

The vaccine doses will target the most vulnerable populations in the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, DRC, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. The DRC, the most severely affected, will receive 85% of the total supply.

Following criticism over delays in vaccine access, WHO recently approved Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine and is considering LC16 by Japan’s KM Biologics as an additional option. The WHO has also set up an initiative to expedite access to mpox vaccines, tests, and treatments for the most vulnerable, mirroring efforts seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vaccines allocated for this initiative come from countries including the United States, Canada, European nations, and contributions from Gavi, a global alliance that supports vaccine procurement in low-income countries.

According to the latest WHO data, over 46,000 confirmed and suspected mpox cases have been reported across Africa this year, with more than 1,000 deaths attributed to the virus. This vaccination effort represents a significant step toward managing the outbreak across the continent, helping to protect those at the highest risk.

Melissa Enoch

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