Congo Receives First Batch of Mpox Vaccine as Global Health Crisis Intensifies

In a bid to combat the escalating mpox outbreak, the Democratic Republic of Congo has received its first batch of 100,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine. The vaccine, donated by the European Union via the EU’s health emergency agency HERA, is expected to arrive at Kinshasa airport on Thursday. Another 100,000 doses are scheduled to arrive on Saturday, bringing the total to 200,000 doses.

The mpox outbreak, which was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) two weeks ago, has already claimed 622 lives across the continent. The majority of cases and fatalities are in Congo, where the new mpox variant was first identified, and where most infections are among children under 15.

The limited number of vaccine doses available has raised concerns, as authorities claim that 3 million doses are needed to control the outbreak. Western partners, including the European Union and the United States, have committed to providing around 380,000 doses, but this amount represents less than 15% of the total needed.

Laurent Muschel, Director-General of HERA, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "We are taking action to provide the necessary vaccines to protect the at-risk population." The vaccine has been administered in Europe and the United States, and the European Medicines Agency is currently reviewing additional data to potentially allow its use for children aged 12 to 17.

The U.S. has donated 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines to Nigeria, marking the first known donation to Africa since the outbreak began. Nigeria has reported 40 mpox cases this year, according to the Nigeria CDC.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, had been spreading largely unnoticed in Africa for years before the 2022 outbreak affected over 70 countries. The virus is now transmitted through sexual contact as well as close interactions among children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations. Africa’s predominantly young population is largely unvaccinated and therefore more susceptible to the virus.

The Africa CDC is developing a coordinated response plan for the outbreaks, which will be presented to African leaders for consideration at a meeting in September.