Central Africa Awaits Mpox Vaccines as Nigeria Secures 10,000 Doses from U.S
Central Africa is set to receive its first shipment of mpox vaccines starting September 1, as the region battles a severe outbreak that has been declared a global health emergency. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is expected to be among the first recipients of the vaccines, according to Africa CDC Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya.
“We are working to ensure that these vaccines reach those most at risk as soon as possible,” Kaseya announced on Tuesday, noting that the arrival of the vaccines is expected next week. A total of 380,000 doses have been secured for distribution across the region.
Similarly, on Tuesday, the US government donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos Monkeypox vaccine to Nigeria. The FDA-approved Jynneos vaccine protects against smallpox and mpox in adults 18 and older who are at risk of mpox infection.
Speaking during the handover of the mpox vaccine to Nigeria in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the vaccine would be of great help in combating the virus.
“Thank you for the 10,000 doses, and we look forward to getting more. I want to thank our development partners, USAID, PEPFAR, WHO, UNICEF, and all the UN organizations. I want to say thank you for the collaboration; this will go a long way to help those who are in need,” she said.
This move comes in response to the growing number of mpox cases in Africa, which have surged to nearly 23,000, with 622 fatalities reported. A new strain of the virus, originating from the Congo, has contributed to this alarming rise in infections, including cases recorded outside the continent in Pakistan, the Philippines, Sweden, and Thailand.
While Gabon, a neighboring country, also confirmed its first case last week from a traveler who had recently visited Uganda, Nigeria has recorded at least 40 confirmed cases but no fatalities.
In a coordinated effort to tackle the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a preparedness and response plan earlier this week. The initiative aims to mobilize $87.4 million to support the first six months of the program, beginning in September, with a focus on breaking the chains of human-to-human transmission.
Despite the rising number of cases, Kaseya reassured that international travel bans have not been implemented against African nations, as ambassadors from non-African countries have confirmed their commitment to maintaining open borders.
