The first 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine reach Congo. But it’s a fraction of what is needed

First batch of mpox vaccine arrives in Congo, donated by EU, as authorities work to combat outbreaks.

The first batch of mpox vaccine arrived in Congo’s capital on Thursday, September 5, 2024, the country’s authorities said, three weeks after the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.

The 100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, have been donated by the European Union through HERA, the bloc's agency for health emergencies. Another 100,000 are expected to be delivered on Saturday, September 7, Congolese authorities said.

UNICEF is going to be in charge of the vaccination campaign in the most impacted provinces, Congo’s Health Minister Roger Kamba told reporters after the delivery of the vaccine. But it remained unclear when the vaccination drive would begin.

About 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines have been promised by Western partners such as the European Union and the United States, Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters last week. That is less than 15% of the 3 million doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency.

The organization said that since the start of 2024, Congo has reported more than 4,900 confirmed mpox cases, with more than 629 associated deaths, representing a sharp escalation in both infections and fatalities compared to previous years. Most mpox infections in Congo are in children under age 15.

“These vaccines are vital in safeguarding our health workers and vulnerable populations, and in curbing the spread of mpox,” Kaseya said on Thursday

Following the global mpox outbreak in 2022, wealthy countries quickly responded with vaccines and treatments from their stockpiles. However, only a few doses have reached Africa despite pleas from its governments.