The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expected to receive its first doses of an mpox vaccine by next week, according to Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba. This development follows promises from the United States and Japan to support the country’s efforts in combating its ongoing outbreak.
Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, citing the rapid spread of a new variant, clade Ib, across Africa. This declaration has intensified global efforts to address the disease, particularly in African nations where the outbreak has been severe.
During a news conference on Monday, Health Minister Kamba Mulamba announced that discussions with USAID and the U.S. government had concluded, paving the way for the vaccines’ arrival in the DRC. “I hope that by next week we’ll be able to see the vaccines arrive,” he said, highlighting the significant disparity that had previously left African countries without access to the two shots used during the 2022 global mpox outbreak.
Earlier on Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare confirmed its commitment to providing Congo with mpox vaccines and needles in collaboration with the WHO and other partners. Masano Tsuzuki, section chief of the ministry’s division of infectious disease prevention and control, stated that Japan “intends to provide as much support as possible.”
The mpox vaccine that Japan plans to supply is produced by KM Biologics, while Denmark’s Bavarian Nordic manufactures another vaccine, known as Jynneos. Despite the availability of these vaccines in Europe and the United States, they have not been accessible in Congo or across Africa, where the disease has been endemic for decades.
Last week, the global vaccine alliance Gavi announced it has allocated up to $500 million to procure and distribute mpox vaccines to countries grappling with the escalating outbreak in Africa. This funding is expected to play a crucial role in mitigating the spread of the disease across the continent.
Melissa Enoch
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