UNICEF issues emergency call for mpox vaccines to support crisis-hit countries
The emergency tender involves setting up agreements with vaccine manufacturers.
In addition to securing vaccines, the partnership aims to increase vaccine production and facilitate donations from wealthier countries. (AP photo) UNICEF, in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, and the World Health Organization (WHO), has issued an urgent request to secure mpox vaccines for countries severely affected by the outbreak. This move aims to quickly supply vaccines to areas in critical need.
The emergency tender involves setting up agreements with vaccine manufacturers, allowing UNICEF to purchase and deliver vaccines without delay once funding, demand, and regulatory approvals are confirmed. Depending on production capacity, up to 12 million doses could be secured through 2025.
This action comes in response to a severe mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has reported over 18,000 suspected cases and 629 deaths this year alone. The outbreak has also spread to neighboring countries, prompting the WHO to declare mpox a global health emergency.
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