By John Ikani
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African nations could begin mpox vaccinations within days, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced on Tuesday.
The Africa CDC has been collaborating with countries facing mpox outbreaks on logistics and communication strategies to distribute vaccine doses promised by the European Union, vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, the United States, and Japan.
The World Health Organization recently declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years due to the rapid spread of a new variant in Africa.
“We haven’t started vaccinations yet. We’ll start in a few days, once we’re sure everything is in place. By the end of next week, vaccines will start arriving in the DRC and other countries,” Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya stated during a briefing.
“We need to ensure that the supply chain management and logistics are ready…to ensure that this vaccine will be safely stored and administered to those who need it.”
He mentioned that studies on the effectiveness of different vaccines would continue in Africa while vaccinations are ongoing, helping countries determine the most suitable vaccines for their specific situations.
African countries reported over 1,400 new mpox cases in the past week, bringing the total number of cases in the 12 affected African nations to nearly 19,000 since the start of 2024, as shown in an Africa CDC presentation.
Cases have increased by more than 100% compared to the same period last year, and Kaseya said it’s too early to say if mpox outbreaks on the continent are improving.
Mpox, a viral infection causing pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is generally mild but can be fatal. Multiple strains are currently spreading in Africa.
Kaseya emphasized that African countries seek solidarity, not unfair treatment like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I clearly request our partners to stop considering travel bans against Africans, as that would bring us back to the unfair treatment we experienced during the COVID period,” he said.
“Solidarity means we need your support in providing appropriate medical counter-measures,” he added, stating that African countries require assistance in increasing their testing rates and accessing vaccines.
