WHO Dispatches Nearly 900000 Mpox Vaccines
The World Health Organization (WHO) has allocated 899,000 mpox vaccine doses to nine African countries grappling with an ongoing outbreak.
The distribution follows the WHO’s re-declaration of mpox as a global health emergency in August, after the clade Ib variant spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring regions.
After facing backlash over delays, the WHO approved Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine and is reviewing Japan’s KM Biologics’ LC16 as a potential option.
Through a special initiative, the WHO aims to deliver vaccines, tests, and treatments to the most vulnerable populations, mirroring its COVID-19 response.
The newly allocated vaccines will primarily target the DRC, which will receive 85% of doses due to the high case burden. Other recipients include the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. Doses have been donated by European countries, the U.S., Canada, and Gavi, a global vaccine alliance.
Africa has seen over 46,000 confirmed and suspected mpox cases and more than 1,000 fatalities in 2024, according to WHO data.
