Africa is set to receive its first batch of vaccines for the deadly mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, after significant delays caused by international bureaucracy. The 10,000 doses, donated by the United States, are arriving weeks after vaccines were made available in over 70 countries outside the continent. This delay has sparked criticism from medical officials and scientists who argue that Africa has been neglected in the global response to the outbreak.
The World Hlealth Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency for mpox on August 14th, following the spread of a new variant from the democratic Republic of the Congo to neighboring countries. However, critics argue that the WHO should have initiated the process of distributing vaccines in Africa much earlier, as the virus has affected the continent for decades. “It’s really outrageous that, after Africa struggled to access vaccines in the COVID pandemic, the continent had once again been left behind,” said Helen Rees, a member of the Africa CDC’s mpox emergency committee.
Mpox is a potentially fatal infection characterized by flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions transmitted through close physical contact. Despite its severe impact, the distribution of vaccines in Africa has been slow, prompting individual governments and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to request donations from wealthier nations. This process is fraught with challenges and often collapses if donor countries decide to prioritize their own populations.
The Africa CDC estimates that up to 10 million doses may be required across the continent to control the outbreak. However, the WHO only recently requested vaccine manufacturers to provide the necessary data for an emergency license, which will allow for accelerated approval and wider distribution of the vaccine. The WHO has urged countries to donate vaccines until this approval process is completed in September.
The delay in providing vaccines to Africa has raised concerns about the efficiency and fairness of global health governance. Medical experts argue that the international response to the mpox outbreak demonstrates a lack of urgency and coordination, leaving vulnerable populations at risk.
As Africa finally receives its first mpox vaccines, the focus now shifts to ensuring that sufficient doses are distributed quickly to prevent further spread of the virus. The WHO’s handling of this crisis will likely be scrutinized as the world seeks to learn from the mistakes of past pandemics and improve the global response to health emergencies.
