WHO Allows Early Mpox Vaccine Purchases To Speed Up Africa's Access

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that its partners, including Gavi and UNICEF, can begin purchasing mpox vaccines even before they receive approval from the U.N. health agency. This move aims to expedite the delivery of vaccines to Africa, which is currently grappling with a rapidly escalating outbreak of the virus.

Traditionally, organisations like Gavi, which assist lower-income countries in acquiring vaccines, are required to wait for WHO approval before making purchases. However, in this case, the rules have been relaxed to accelerate negotiations, as WHO approval is expected within a few weeks.

Two vaccines, developed by Denmark's Bavarian Nordic and Japan's KM Biologics, have already received approval from regulators in several countries, including the United States and Japan, and have been widely used for mpox since 2022. In the United States alone, approximately 1.2 million people have been vaccinated with Bavarian Nordic's shot. The WHO is anticipated to grant emergency licensure for these vaccines in September. Mpox, a viral infection that spreads through close contact, is usually mild but can be fatal. Last week, the WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern after a new strain of the virus rapidly spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.

Earlier this month, the WHO requested vaccine manufacturers to submit the necessary information to expedite its approval process, aiming to grant an emergency license by mid-September.

However, this week, Bavarian Nordic, one of the vaccine manufacturers, emphasised the need for immediate orders from organisations like Gavi and the WHO to produce additional doses this year. This has raised concerns that lower-income countries could face shortages or once again be reliant on uncertain donations from wealthier nations, similar to the challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some donated mpox vaccines are expected to arrive in Africa next week, according to reports from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

(Based on the reports in media)