Global Mpox Vaccine Stockpile Opens Access to Every Country

Between 1 January 2022 and 31 July 2026, 145 countries and territories reported 190,683 confirmed mpox cases and 529 deaths, with around two-thirds of reported infections occurring in the WHO African Region.

A new global stockpile of mpox vaccines was launched on 27 August, giving every country a shared route to request doses during an outbreak, regardless of its income or purchasing power. The mechanism is expected to begin operations later this month, creating a permanent source of emergency vaccine support designed to prevent the access gaps that left many lower-income countries waiting for protection during earlier waves of the disease.

A Fairer System for Emergency Vaccine Access

The stockpile was approved by the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in 2025 and is being financed by Gavi, while vaccine allocation will be coordinated by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision. The group brings together the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, combining vaccine procurement, public health knowledge, humanitarian delivery networks and experience working directly with communities affected by disease outbreaks.

The initiative grows from the Access and Allocation Mechanism created during the 2024 mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern, when the need for faster and fairer vaccine distribution became clear. Countries facing outbreaks will now have a defined global channel through which they can seek doses based on public health need and their potential effect on controlling transmission, rather than competing in a market where wealthier buyers can secure supplies first.

Mpox Remains a Threat Across the World

Between 1 January 2022 and 31 July 2026, 145 countries and territories reported 190,683 confirmed mpox cases and 529 deaths, with around two-thirds of reported infections occurring in the WHO African Region. The virus spreads mainly through close physical contact, while transmission from animals to people remains a concern in parts of Africa and continues to create conditions in which fresh outbreaks can emerge.

Mpox can cause painful skin lesions, fever and other serious symptoms, with children and people who have weakened immune systems facing a greater risk of severe illness. Vaccination can protect people who are most exposed, reduce the chances of serious disease and help health teams bring outbreaks under control before infections spread into more communities. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell also drew attention to the wider effect on children, including stigma, interrupted education, fear and the emotional strain caused by separation from relatives and friends.

Partners Call the Stockpile a Lifesaving Step

Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar said the unequal vaccine access seen during the 2022 outbreak showed why a global mechanism was needed, stressing that the ability to pay should not decide which countries can use vaccines to protect lives. IFRC Secretary General and CEO Jagan Chapagain described universal access as vital, saying coordinated distribution can help doses reach communities facing the greatest danger at the time they are needed.

MSF International Medical Coordinator Dr Daniela Garone said the presence of different mpox variants affecting different populations requires close cooperation among national authorities, regional bodies, disease programmes, health managers and local communities. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the stockpile an important move towards a more sustainable and equitable outbreak response, noting that quicker vaccine access can save lives and contain transmission before it expands. The initiative turns lessons from recent mpox emergencies into a standing system that countries can rely on when the next outbreak places communities at risk.