Gavi Alliance Secures 500 Million Mpox Vaccine Doses for Africa
The Gavi Alliance has placed an order for 500 million mpox vaccine doses from German-Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, aimed at combating the ongoing spread of the virus in Africa.
In a statement on Wednesday, Gavi announced that the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will handle the distribution of the vaccines to affected African nations. This initiative is funded by governments, foundations, and private donors committed to ensuring equitable vaccine access worldwide.
The mpox virus has re-emerged in several African countries this year, with over 18,000 suspected cases reported, primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a global health emergency, urging countries to remain vigilant. Mpox typically causes a rash and fever and can be fatal for young children.
The order from Gavi follows WHO’s recent approval of Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine as safe and effective, allowing UN agencies to procure and distribute the doses. The vaccines are being financed through Gavi’s First Response Fund, an emergency initiative launched in June.
In addition to Gavi’s efforts, the European Union and its member states, along with Bavarian Nordic, have already committed 620,000 vaccine doses to affected countries, while Japan has pledged three million doses of another vaccine for distribution.
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