899,000 Vaccine Doses Allocated for 9 African Countries Affected by Mpox

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday, November 6, the allocation of 899,000 vaccine doses to nine African countries grappling with a surge in mpox cases, Reuters reported yesterday.

 This decision comes as the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following the emergence of a new variant known as clade Ib from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The allocated vaccines will be distributed primarily to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which will receive 85% of the doses due to its status as the most affected country. Other recipients include the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.

The WHO’s initiative aims to enhance the response to mpox outbreaks, similar to the strategies employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of this year, Africa has reported over 46,000 confirmed and suspected mpox cases, resulting in more than 1,000 deaths.