London: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a crucial initiative to accelerate the distribution of mpox vaccines in Africa, where the outbreak is rapidly worsening.
In collaboration with key partners like Gavi and UNICEF, WHO is allowing these organizations to purchase mpox vaccines ahead of formal approval, a strategic move aimed at expediting the delivery of these vital immunizations to the continent. Traditionally, entities like Gavi and UNICEF can only procure vaccines post-WHO approval, but the urgency of the situation has led to a temporary relaxation of these protocols.
The vaccines, developed by Denmark’s Bavarian Nordic and Japan’s KM Biologics, have already been approved in countries such as the United States and Japan and have been in use since 2022. WHO is expected to issue emergency licenses for these vaccines by September.
As the mpox virus continues to spread beyond East Africa, a potentially more dangerous strain has been reported in several countries over the past week. This international spread has seen new cases in Sweden, Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, 14 African nations have reported cases of the Clade 1 variant, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) experiencing the most severe impact, recording 13,791 cases and 450 deaths.
Countries in Africa, including Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, and the Republic of Congo, among others, have reported varying numbers of cases and fatalities. In Asia, countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and Pakistan have also confirmed cases, while Sweden has reported one case in Europe. As of now, no new cases have been reported in the Americas, the Middle East, Oceania, or Antarctica.
With the virus spreading and the emergence of the Clade 1 variant, WHO’s swift action to facilitate vaccine access is a critical step in containing the outbreak and preventing further loss of life.
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