Global Health Emergency: Race to Produce MPOX Vaccines
As the global outbreak of MPOX continues to spread, UNICEF, in partnership with the Gavi vaccine alliance and WHO, has launched an urgent initiative to produce and supply up to 12 million doses of the MPOX vaccine by 2025, according to several sources online.
In response to the escalating crisis, an emergency tender was issued on September 1 to secure these vaccine doses. Conditional supply agreements will be established with vaccine manufacturers to expedite procurement and distribution, subject to funding and regulatory approvals. The collaborative effort also includes organizations like the Pan American Health Organization and Africa CDC, which aim to donate surplus vaccines from wealthier nations.
WHO is currently evaluating submissions for emergency use approvals, focusing on vaccines from Bavarian Nordic and Japan’s KM Biologics. This urgent initiative follows WHO’s declaration of MPOX as a global health emergency in August, prompted by a significant outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that has spread to neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, African countries, particularly the DRC, are facing significant delays in receiving promised mpox vaccines. Despite pledges from several countries, including the US, Spain, France, and Germany, for hundreds of thousands of doses, none have been delivered. This delay has exacerbated the outbreak in the DRC, with the WHO reporting 18,000 suspected cases and 629 deaths this year due to a new variant.
Experts have criticized the lack of coordinated international response and funding for the MPOX outbreak, with only 10% of the $245 million requested by the Africa CDC secured. Experts have highlighted the historical neglect of mpox and urged African nations to invest in their health systems. Civil society groups are also calling for lower vaccine prices, as current costs range from $50 to $75 per dose.
