African nations facing a renewed mpox outbreak are receiving a much-needed boost as several countries pledge vaccine donations. This comes after the World Health Organization declared the disease a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.
The donations aim to address the stark inequity faced by Africa during the 2022 outbreak, where access to vaccines was limited.
Leading the charge is Spain, offering 500,000 doses, a generous 20% of their stockpile. They’ve also urged the European Union to follow suit, encouraging member states to contribute 20% of their own reserves.
France joins the effort with a 100,000 dose commitment, basing their allocation on identified needs within affected regions. Germany contributes a similar amount, drawing from their military stockpiles to provide immediate support.
The United States has pledged a combined 60,000 doses, with 50,000 for the Democratic Republic of Congo and 10,000 for Nigeria.
The European Union itself is taking a coordinated approach. They’ve secured 175,420 doses through a joint procurement contract with vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, and the company itself is donating an additional 40,000 doses. These will be directed to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
While the Democratic Republic of Congo specifically requested 2 million doses from Japan, the final number from that nation is yet to be confirmed.
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