The first batch of mpox vaccine arrived in Congo’s capital on Thursday, the country’s authorities said, three weeks after the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.
The 100,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, have been donated by the European Union through HERA, the bloc’s agency for health emergencies. Another 100,000 are expected to be delivered on Saturday, the Congolese authorities said.
About 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines have been promised by Western partners such as the European Union and the United States, Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters last week. That is less than 15% of the 3 million doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency.
It’s a start, should have been done ages ago, sure should be more, but at least the rest of the world is realizing that this is an important issue for the whole world. Now let’s get the rest of what’s needed to the Congo ASAP.