Rwanda Administers First Mpox Vaccines in Africa

Africa has administered Mpox vaccines for the first time, with several hundred high-risk individuals receiving the shots in Rwanda, according to the African Union’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The vaccines are part of an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which has impacted parts of the continent.

On Tuesday, the first 300 doses were administered in Rwanda, particularly near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the Mpox outbreak has been most severe.

The DRC has reported nearly 22,000 cases and more than 700 deaths linked to the virus between January and August 2024

Mpox, a viral infection that can be deadly in some cases, causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large, boil-like lesions on the skin.

Despite ongoing efforts to control the outbreak, the Africa CDC has reported a total of 29,152 cases and 738 deaths across 15 countries on the continent.

The rollout of vaccines in Rwanda followed the recent prequalification of the Mpox vaccine, MVA-BN, by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This approval marked a crucial step in allowing the United Nations and other international bodies to procure vaccines for distribution.

Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, stressed the urgency of the situation, noting that Mpox remains a serious global public health threat.

“Mpox is not under control,” he stated.

Health authorities hope the vaccines will help contain the virus, particularly in high-risk areas, and prevent further deaths.

The vaccine rollout in Rwanda is expected to be expanded to other affected regions as more doses become available.

It was earlier reported that Gavi, the global vaccine alliance announced that it will purchase 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine for Africa. This marks Gavi’s first acquisition of the vaccine.

The deal aims at tackling the spread of mpox, which the WHO have declared a global health emergency.

AFP

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