EU delivers first mpox vaccine doses to Congo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive its first batch of 100,000 mpox vaccines from the European Union on Thursday, with a second delivery expected in the coming days, the European Commission said.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The delivery marks a significant step in curbing the mpox outbreak in Africa, particularly in Congo, which has been grappling with a severe shortage of vaccines.

CONTEXT

Congo, the epicentre of a recent mpox outbreak, has been awaiting vaccines. The World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency last month due to the outbreak, but containment efforts have been hampered by a lack of vaccines. The delivered vaccines were manufactured by Bavarian Nordic and donated by the EU as part of its commitment to tackle the health crisis.

BY THE NUMBERS

The EU has pledged to share 215,000 vaccine doses to affected African countries. An additional 351,500 doses will be donated by at least eight EU member states, bringing the total number of vaccine doses to at least 566,500.

WHAT’S NEXT

The EU will further support affected African countries by strengthening health systems, securing pharmaceutical supply chains, and developing local manufacturing. A 9.4-million-euro ($10.4 million) grant is also planned to expand access to diagnostics and sequencing by early autumn.

($1 = 0.9007 euros)

(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Mark Potter)