The mpox outbreak in Africa is raising concerns that Europe may be repeating its mistakes from the Covid-19 pandemic. Just like with the Covid-19 vaccines, there are worries that Europe could hoard excess mpox vaccine doses while African nations face a dire shortage.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the mpox outbreak a global health emergency, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which accounts for over 90% of Africa’s mpox cases, has expressed a critical need for more vaccines and urged the European Union (EU) to provide greater support.
While Europe has pledged to supply Africa with hundreds of thousands of mpox vaccine doses, assessments suggest this is insufficient. The DRC alone estimates requiring 3.5 million doses, and Africa as a whole may need around 10 million. The European Commission has purchased approximately 175,000 doses for Africa, and Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer, has donated an additional 40,000. France has also committed to sending a shipment to Africa, and Japan has pledged the largest donation so far at 3 million doses. The United States has pledged 50,000 doses.
However, despite these pledges, evidence suggests that Europe is holding onto millions of doses. Data compiled by Politico reveals that Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany possess approximately 3 million doses collectively. Spain holds 500,000 vials, the Netherlands 100,000 vials, and Germany around 117,000 doses. With a new vaccination technique allowing each vial to deliver up to five doses, these three countries alone could potentially provide over 3 million doses. It remains unclear if they have committed these doses to Africa.
Javier Padilla, Spain’s Secretary of State for Health, acknowledged the ethical dilemma, stating that the EU “cannot repeat the mistake of accumulating vaccines in Europe while African countries are not being able to administer them to their population even if the great needs are there.” This sentiment echoes the frustration of many who believe that ensuring equitable vaccine access is critical for containing the mpox outbreak and preventing future health crises.
