The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday, September 13, the first-ever authorisation for a vaccine against mpox for adults, marking a significant step in the global fight against the disease, particularly in Africa.

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This allows major donors including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF, to purchase the vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic A/S, a global vaccines company.

However, due to the vaccine’s single-source production, supply remains limited.

"This authorisation represents a crucial milestone in our efforts to combat mpox, addressing both current outbreaks in Africa and future challenges,” stated WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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The vaccine, approved for individuals aged 18 and above is also permitted for use in younger populations under specific outbreak conditions where the benefits are deemed to outweigh potential risks.

To ensure equitable distribution, the WHO is implementing an "access and allocation mechanism” to manage the supply of mpox tests, treatments, and vaccines to the most affected countries.

While the Bavarian Nordic vaccine has been used extensively in Europe and North America since the 2022 outbreak, data on its efficacy in children is limited.

The WHO’s recommendation includes the possibility of administering a single dose to extend vaccine availability, although more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in this capacity.

The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month that nearly 70% of mpox cases in DR Congo involve children under 15, who have also accounted for 85% of deaths. The WHO’s latest figures indicate that over 120 countries have reported more than 103,000 mpox cases since the outbreak began. As of September 8, the disease has claimed 723 lives in more than a dozen African countries.

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Experts estimate that approximately 10 million vaccines are needed to halt the outbreaks on the continent, yet donor countries have committed to providing only about 3.6 million doses. DR Congo has received about 250,000 doses to date. In the past week alone, the Africa CDC has reported 107 new deaths and 3,160 new cases.

Mpox, a virus related to smallpox, typically presents with milder symptoms such as fever and body aches but can cause severe lesions in more serious cases.