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EU Donates 215,000 Mpox Vaccine Doses to Africa

• By Rich Health News Desk
• August 15, 2024

In an effort to battle the continuing Mpox outbreak in Africa, the European Union (EU) has stated that it will donate 215,000 vaccine doses through its Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

 

The significant contribution was made as a part of the EU's larger initiatives to combat threats to global health and improve readiness for newly emerging infectious diseases.

 

The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it would purchase 175,420 doses of the mpox vaccine known as the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN).

 

As of right now, only one smallpox vaccine—the non-replicating vaccine—has been approved for use in the European Union and is safe to administer to anyone who is 18 years of age or older. Furthermore, the vaccine's manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic, has promised to donate an additional 40,000 doses to HERA.

 

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will oversee the distribution of these vaccines, allocating doses in accordance with local requirements. Enhancing access to mpox diagnostics and sequencing capabilities throughout the continent is another goal of the partnership between HERA and Africa CDC. A €3.5 million award is anticipated to be implemented by early autumn.

 

In addressing health threats, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides underlined the significance of international cooperation, saying, "We are determined to pursue preparedness and response to health threats as a global endeavour collectively and with solidarity across borders."

 

The Director-General of the Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, thanked the EU for its prompt action and emphasized the importance of international collaboration in handling public health crises. "Bavarian Nordic's donation of more than 215,000 doses is a critical step in our fight against this crisis. In addition to providing necessary vaccinations, this collaboration highlights our shared commitment to preserving health throughout Africa, according to Kaseya.

 

He went on to say, "Together, we will strengthen our response efforts and ensure that communities across the continent receive the protection they need."

 

Arriving at a crucial moment, the donation comes just after the Africa CDC deemed mpox a "public health emergency of continental security." With nearly 13,700 cases and 450 deaths recorded since the year's beginning, the virus has proven especially deadly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Other African countries that have been affected by mpox include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and the Central African Republic (CAR).