In response to the mpox epidemic affecting Africa, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic announced a strategic partnership on September 18, 2024. This agreement ensures the delivery of 500,000 doses of mpox vaccine to several African countries.
Financed by Gavi's First Response Fund, created to rapidly address global health emergencies, this advance purchase aims to strengthen the response capabilities of African nations. 'We are committed to building a global stockpile of vaccines,' stated Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi.
Africa has been chosen as the focal point due to the epicenter of this new wave of mpox located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has reported nearly 22,000 cases since January. The emergence of a new variant has prompted the WHO to declare the outbreak a 'public health emergency of international concern.'
'The doses secured through this agreement will significantly increase the availability of mpox vaccines for African countries,' expressed Paul Chaplin, CEO of Bavarian Nordic. In total, 3.6 million doses have already been secured for the African continent, which has existing stocks of monkeypox vaccines.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has received a total of 150,000 vaccine doses, including an initial batch of 100,000 from the European Union and an additional 50,000 doses. The mpox outbreak has resulted in over 500 deaths in this Central African country.
Other African nations, such as Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa, and Burundi, are also facing the disease. In Burundi, the epidemic has rapidly spread, particularly in Bujumbura. In light of the outbreak's severity, especially in schools, UNICEF has issued an urgent appeal for funding to support prevention and response efforts in educational institutions where children are heavily impacted.