The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced an emergency tender to secure mpox vaccines for countries facing the brunt of the outbreak. This initiative, a joint effort with the Gavi vaccine alliance, Africa CDC, and the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to ensure swift access to vaccines for those most at risk.
The statement outlining the collaboration emphasizes that agreements for up to 12 million doses of mpox vaccines can be made through 2025, contingent on the manufacturing capacity of vaccine producers. UNICEF will establish conditional supply agreements with manufacturers, allowing for immediate purchase and shipment of vaccines once financing, demand, readiness, and regulatory requirements are met.
The collaborative effort will also involve working with the Vaccine Alliance and the Pan American Health Organization, alongside Gavi, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO. This coordinated approach will facilitate the donation of vaccines from existing stockpiles in high-income countries.
WHO is actively reviewing information submitted by manufacturers on August 23rd, aiming to finalize an emergency use listing by mid-September. The agency is evaluating applications for emergency licences for two vaccines developed by Bavarian Nordic and Japan’s KM Biologics.
The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency in August following a significant outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to neighboring countries. As of now, over 18,000 suspected cases of mpox have been reported in Congo this year, resulting in 629 deaths. Burundi has also confirmed over 150 cases. Furthermore, cases of the clade Ib type of the virus have been confirmed in Sweden and Thailand, outside the immediate region of the Congo outbreak.
