Gavi's Major Vaccine Push to Combat Africa's Mpox Outbreak

Gavi, a global vaccine alliance, is purchasing 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine to address an outbreak in Africa. This marks Gavi's first purchase of the vaccine, aiming to combat over 25,000 cases and 723 deaths reported in 2024, primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, announced on Wednesday its plan to purchase 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine. This milestone marks Gavi's initial acquisition of the vaccine, aiming to curb an mpox outbreak predominantly affecting parts of Africa.

In 2024, Africa witnessed over 25,000 suspected mpox cases and 723 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has labeled the situation a global health emergency. Gavi, which co-funds vaccine procurement for low-income nations, plans to allocate up to $50 million for the initiative. This budget covers transportation, delivery, and administration costs of the vaccines, scheduled for this year.

Despite 3.6 million vaccine doses being pledged to the DRC by wealthy countries, only a fraction has been delivered. Gavi hopes its purchase, via a swift-response facility formed post-COVID-19, will expedite efforts in Congo and other afflicted regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)