Geneva [Switzerland], September 19: The global vaccine group Gavi has ordered 500,000 Mpox vaccine doses from the German-Danish company Bavarian Nordic.
The UN Children's Fund is to deliver these to affected countries in Africa later this year (2024), Gavi announced on Wednesday.
The vaccine alliance, financed by governments, foundations and private individuals, fights for a fairer distribution of vaccines. Gavi stands for Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.
The Mpox virus is spreading again this year (2024) in several African countries. More than 18,000 suspected cases have been reported on the continent, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The WHO has declared the spread a global health emergency and called on all countries worldwide to be vigilant. The disease, which causes a rash and usually a fever, can be fatal for small children.
Gavi's order was made possible because the World Health Organization (WHO) classified Bavarian Nordic's Mpox vaccine as safe and effective on 13 September 2024. This is a prerequisite for UN organisations to procure and distribute it.
The foundation is using the Gavi's First Response Fund, an emergency mechanism that was only set up in June.
Pharmaceutical companies need firm orders before they ramp up production to avoid producing on speculation and later being left with unsold products.
The EU and member countries, as well as the company itself, have already promised the affected countries 620,000 vaccine doses. Japan has pledged another 3 million doses of another vaccine for distribution.
Source: Times of Oman