This week, the European Commission supplied around 100,000 doses of the MPOX vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is the first vaccine supply to the country, with a second batch of 100,000 doses expected to arrive in the coming days.
The vaccine is part of 215,000 MVA-BN.® These are the vaccine doses that the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Agency (HERA) has pledged to share with affected countries in Africa as an immediate response to the Empox outbreak.
“These vaccines are essential to protect our healthcare workers and vulnerable populations, and to curb the spread of mpox. This milestone is a statement of the strong partnership between Africa CDC, the European Union through the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), and the Bavarian Nordics. We are committed to protecting our people and leaving no one behind in our mission to control this outbreak,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.
An additional 351,500 doses of vaccine from France, Germany, Spain, Malta, Portugal, Luxembourg, Croatia, Austria and Poland have been donated to Africa CDC for distribution to affected countries.
The DRC has reported more than 4,901 confirmed cases of mpox since the beginning of 2024, with more than 629 deaths. This represents a sharp increase in infections and deaths compared to previous years.
After Africa CDC declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on 13 August 2024, it made an urgent appeal to the international community to secure vaccines for African countries.
“The shipment of these vaccines is an important health milestone as it will help protect communities, especially health workers and those at risk,” said UNICEF Executive Director Grant Leeti. “UNICEF is committed to supporting Ministries of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention in the distribution of these vaccines and supporting immunization operations to ensure they reach the most vulnerable.”
