In response to the recent surge in Mpox cases across Africa, the Access and Allocation Mechanism has allocated a batch of 899,000 vaccine doses to nine African countries severely impacted by the outbreak.
This joint initiative, launched by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation (WHO), aims to curb the spread of Mpox by prioritising regions with the highest transmission rates.
According to a joint press release from these agencies, this collaboration seeks to ensure that the limited vaccine doses are used fairly and effectively, based on epidemiological data of each country.
The nine countries set to receive vaccine doses include the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.
The DRC, which remains the epicentre of the outbreak, is expected to receive 85 percent of the allocation, as it has reported four out of every five confirmed cases in Africa this year. “The scale of the outbreak in the DRC underscores the urgency of focused vaccine distribution in the region,” the release highlighted, noting that these countries’ allocations aim to address the worst-hit areas.
These doses have been secured through donations from Canada, Gavi, the European Union (EU), and the United States, with contributions coming from EU member states, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, and Spain, as well as from the United States and Canada. In light of the rapid spread of the clade Ib strain of Mpox, the vaccination programme marks a coordinated approach to address the outbreak, which has affected 19 African countries, many experiencing cases for the first time.
Declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO and a public health emergency of continental security by Africa CDC in August, the Mpox outbreak has led to more than 38,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 deaths in the DRC alone this year. Africa CDC affirmed that vaccination is a key component of the broader Mpox response strategy, which also includes testing, clinical care, infection prevention, and community engagement.
According to the statement, the phased vaccination strategy targets three stages wherein Phase 1 aims to vaccinate approximately 1.4 million individuals at risk by the end of 2024, using 2.8 million doses of the MVA-BN vaccine.
“By focusing initially on those at greatest risk of exposure, we aim to interrupt transmission in the areas with the highest case counts.”
“Subsequent phases of the rollout will expand to cover additional high-risk populations as more doses become available. Phase 2 focuses on protecting individuals at risk of severe disease, including vulnerable groups like people living with HIV, internally displaced persons, and refugees in affected regions. Phase 3 aims to build population immunity as a preventive measure against future outbreaks, establishing long-term protection in communities. As doses increase, we will prioritise protection for high-risk populations to support longer-term outbreak control.” the statement reads.
