The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that nearly one million doses of mpox vaccines are being allocated across nine African countries. This development follows the recent creation of a special mechanism to ensure fair and timely access to vaccines for mpox in the region.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that over 50,000 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have already been vaccinated, with support from international donations.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recently highlighted a 500% increase in mpox cases across 19 African countries compared to the previous year. The WHO classified mpox as a global health emergency in August after a new variant began spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo to nearby nations.
The current vaccine allocation focuses on areas with the highest transmission rates of this new strain. This initial distribution is part of nearly six million doses expected by the end of 2024.
Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that vaccination is just one component of the broader strategy, which also includes case detection, contact tracing, infection control, clinical care, risk communication, and testing.
