In a significant move to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa, the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) has allocated an initial 899,000 vaccine doses to nine countries severely affected by the surge. The countries set to receive these doses are the Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, being the most affected country, will receive 85% of the allocated doses, accounting for four out of every five laboratory-confirmed cases in Africa this year. The doses have been generously provided by Canada, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union, and the United States of America.
The outbreak of mpox, particularly the surge of the viral strain clade Ib, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a public health emergency of continental security by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). This year, 19 countries in Africa have reported mpox, with many newly affected by the viral disease.
Vaccination is a crucial part of the comprehensive mpox response strategy, focusing on timely testing and diagnosis, effective clinical care, infection prevention, and community engagement. The allocated doses mark a significant step towards a coordinated and targeted deployment of vaccines to stop the mpox outbreaks.
The rollout of mpox vaccines will be a new undertaking for most countries, requiring additional resources. Partners of the mpox AAM are working to scale up the response, with further allocations of vaccines expected before the end of the year.
WHO/Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
