Africa’s first batch of mpox vaccines is finally arriving this week, much later than in other parts of the world where the vaccines have been available for weeks.
While over 70 countries outside Africa have had access to these vaccines for weeks, the continent is just now receiving 10,000 doses, donated by the United States government.
This delay, which comes even after the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the persistent global healthcare inequities, public health officials and scientists warned.
The 2022 outbreak of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, raised the global alarm, particularly with the emergence of a new variant, clade Ib, which began spreading from DR Congo into neighboring African countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak a global health emergency on August 14.
It was only recently that the WHO started the process to provide African countries with access to vaccines through international agencies, despite the disease being endemic on the continent for years.
Dr Richard Mihigo, Senior Director at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, pointed out that global efforts to combat the outbreak have been hindered by a severe vaccine shortage. He said only 200,000 doses are available worldwide, despite the millions needed to address the emergency.
Dr Mihigo called for increased collaboration between nations, the private sector, and research institutions to boost vaccine accessibility, especially in low-income countries.
Mpox is a potentially deadly infection that spreads through close physical contact, causing flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. With only 10 million doses estimated to be needed across Africa to manage the outbreak, the slow vaccine rollout poses risks.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) had to rely on donations from wealthier nations due to the lack of international vaccine distribution.
Dr Jean Kaseya, the Director General of Africa CDC, in a letter to African Union Member States on August 23, highlighted several challenges, hindering the continent’s response to mpox emergency.
Among these challenges, he said was the fact that only three African countries, Nigeria, South Africa, and DR Congo, had approved the use of mpox vaccines. He urged other African nations to approve the vaccine’s initiation.
Dr Kaseya also stressed the scarcity of domestic resources in African countries, limited public awareness efforts, and the dominance of Western nations in the demand for and production of mpox vaccines.
“There is a serious risk that Africa will not be considered in the distribution of vaccines and other medical countermeasures if African leaders do not unite and assert their presence in the fight against this disease,” Dr. Kaseya warned.
The cross-border spread of the virus remains a threat, especially in countries previously unaffected by mpox.
Africa’s limited diagnostic and testing capabilities, and weak surveillance systems have led to underreporting and under-detection of cases, with testing rates standing at 18% in some countries, according to Africa CDC.
