By The Democratic Republic of Congo received its first batch of 100,000 mpox vaccine doses in the capital Kinshasa on Thursday, three weeks after the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.
The MVA-BN vaccine, manufactured by Danish company Bavarian Nordic, was donated by the European Union through HERA, the bloc’s health emergencies agency. Congolese authorities expect another 100,000 doses to arrive on Saturday.
Congo’s Health Minister Roger Kamba announced that UNICEF will manage the vaccination campaign in the most affected provinces. However, the start date for vaccinations remains unclear.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that about 380,000 mpox vaccine doses have been promised by Western partners, including the EU and the United States. This falls far short of the 3 million doses authorities say are needed to curb the outbreaks in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of Africa CDC, reported over 22,800 mpox cases and 622 deaths on the continent, with infections surging 200% in the last week. Congo, where a new mpox variant was first detected, accounts for the majority of cases and deaths, with most infections occurring in children under 15.
Laurent Muschel, Director-General of HERA, stated that 215,000 doses were specifically pledged and purchased for donation to Congo. The European Medicines Agency is reviewing data to potentially approve the vaccine for children aged 12 to 17 by month’s end.
Mercy Muthee Laker, Congo representative for the Red Cross and Red Crescent, praised the government’s efforts but noted the inadequacy of the doses compared to the need on the ground. Experts warn that vaccine administration may take weeks due to logistical challenges in Congo’s vast territory with limited health infrastructure.
The United States recently donated 10,000 mpox vaccine doses to Nigeria, marking the first known donation to Africa since the current outbreaks began. Nigeria has recorded 40 cases this year, according to its CDC.
Dr. Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO’s mpox emergency committee, highlighted that the current African outbreak differs from the 2022 global outbreak, with transmission now occurring through sexual contact and close contact among children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups.
The Africa CDC is developing a unified response plan for the outbreaks, to be presented to African heads of state at a September meeting.
