An initial 899 000 vaccine doses have been allocated for 9 countries across Africa that have been hit hard by the current mpox surge, the WHO and other health organisations said on Wednesday.
The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August after a new variant of the virus, called clade Ib, spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.
In September, after facing criticism on moving too slowly on vaccines, the World Health Organisation cleared Bavarian Nordics BAVA.CO vaccine for mpox and said it was considering LC16, made by Japans KM Biologics as a potential vaccine option.
The WHO also set up a scheme to help bring mpox vaccines, tests and treatments to the most vulnerable people in the worlds poorest countries, similar to efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global health agency said on Wednesday the newly allocated vaccines will go to the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
