The World Health Organization (WHO) has, for the first time, prequalified a vaccine for Mpox.
The announcement was made shortly after the arrival of the first MVA-BN vaccines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is the epicenter of the epidemic.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has regrettably recorded approximately 22,000 cases and 716 fatalities associated with the virus since the beginning of January.
Mpox: Positive Development as WHO Endorses Initial Vaccine
So far, the European Union has generously provided approximately 200,000 vaccine doses to the DRC, with an additional 50,000 doses kindly donated by the United States.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.
It causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions, and can in some cases be deadly.
On its X handle on Friday, the development is expected to speed up access to the jabs to fight an epidemic raging in Africa.
“This first prequalification of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa, and in future,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.
“We now need urgent scale up in procurement, donations and rollout to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are needed most… to prevent infections, stop transmission and save lives.”
WHO’s prequalification listing is used to evaluate the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products like vaccines, paving the way for the United Nations and other international agencies to procure them.
The list is also used by lower-income countries without the means to carry out their evaluations to fast-track procurement approvals.
“The WHO prequalification of the MVA-BN vaccine will help accelerate ongoing procurement of the mpox vaccines by governments and international agencies… on the frontlines of the ongoing emergency in Africa and beyond,” said Yukiko Nakatani, WHO’s assistant chief in charge of access to medicines and health products.
The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed deep concern over the recent surge in cases of the new Clade 1b strain of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its spread to neighboring countries. In response, the WHO declared an international emergency to address the situation effectively.