Wed Nov 06 20:03:00 UTC 2024: ## 899,000 Mpox Vaccine Doses Allocated for 9 African Countries Amidst Surge

**[City, Country] -** The World Health Organization (WHO) and partner organizations have allocated 899,000 mpox vaccine doses to nine African countries severely affected by the current outbreak. This announcement comes as mpox continues to spread rapidly across the continent, with over 46,000 confirmed and suspected cases and over 1,000 deaths reported this year.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, the hardest-hit country, will receive the largest share of the doses, accounting for 85% of the total allocation. Other recipient countries include the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.

The vaccine doses are sourced from European countries, the United States, Canada, and Gavi, a global vaccine alliance. This initiative comes after the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August, following the spread of a new variant, clade Ib, from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The WHO has faced criticism for its slow response to the outbreak, but has since approved Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine for mpox and is considering another potential option developed by KM Biologics in Japan. The organization has also established a scheme to provide vaccines, tests, and treatments to vulnerable populations in low-income countries, similar to efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This allocation of vaccine doses represents a significant step towards containing the mpox outbreak in Africa. The WHO and its partners are working diligently to ensure that these critical resources reach the most vulnerable populations and help curb the spread of this deadly disease.

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