Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is set to purchase 500,000 doses of the Bavarian Nordic Mpox vaccine (MVA-BN) to help combat Mpox outbreaks in parts of Africa.
The purchase is funded by Gavi’s First Response Fund, designed for rapid vaccine procurement during emergencies. The WHO recently approved the MVA-BN vaccine, simplifying the global procurement process.
Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar emphasized collaboration with affected governments and the goal to build a global vaccine stockpile by 2030.
Meanwhile, the African CDC called for 10 million doses, but only 3.6 million have been secured, despite Africa reporting over 25,000 cases and 723 deaths, mostly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“We expressed our gratitude to donors for their financial support, which allows quick responses through the First Response Fund, we aims to collaborate with governments and partners to deploy vaccines effectively and build a global stockpile, contingent on securing sufficient funding for their efforts through 2030,” said Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
In Kenya, five Mpox cases have been confirmed, prompting the government to allocate Sh6.7 billion for response efforts. Health authorities have intensified surveillance, set up Mpox emergency facilities, and screened over 300,000 travelers.
“Surveillance has been intensified throughout the country and at points of entry. More than 300,000 travellers have been screened,” said CS Barasa.
Last month, the WHO declared an international emergency due to the spread of a new Mpox strain.
