Africa's healthcare authorities are ramping up efforts to combat Mpox, learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic as they move quickly to implement vaccination plans. With concerns about the swift spread of Mpox, officials aim to avoid the mistakes made during the COVID outbreak, particularly the slow acquisition of necessary vaccines.
Since the World Health Organization declared the situation as an international public health emergency, discussions about bringing vaccines to Africa have intensified. Vaccines are expected to start arriving shortly, with logistical planning already underway to make vaccinations accessible across the continent.
Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stressed the importance of effective supply chain management to facilitate the timely delivery of vaccines. There’s recognition of the urgency to get these shots to the populations most at risk.
Mpox, which has been endemic to Africa since the 1970s, hasn’t garnered much global attention historically. When the virus saw its worldwide spread, African nations found themselves sidelined and without adequate vaccination supplies.
This scenario mirrors the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when African countries were at the back of the line for vaccines. Despite agreements made to bolster emergency response capabilities, stockpiles of vaccines remained insufficient as manufacturing lagged behind.
The current deficit is largely due to Africa's reliance on imported vaccines rather than on local production. Consequently, plans to establish local vaccine production faced numerous hurdles, leading to calls for more significant investment and commitment to local manufacturing efforts.
Kaseya emphasized, “Without local manufacturing in Africa, we are exposed,” prompting conversations between the African CDC and local vaccine producers. Among these is the Biovac Institute, which is working to secure technology transfer agreements to produce Mpox vaccines domestically.
Negotiations are also happening with Bavarian Nordic, one of the select approved Mpox vaccine manufacturers, with the goal to expedite vaccine deliveries. This would allow African manufacturers to fill vials, ensuring quality vaccines can be produced within the continent at more affordable prices.
The necessity for around 10 million doses poses funding challenges. Priced at approximately $100 each, Helen Rees from the Reproductive Health and HIV Institute highlighted the dire situation: "Many countries can’t afford to buy them at this price."
Bavarian Nordic has assured availability but noted the actual production scales hinge on the level of orders received, typically requiring guaranteed markets before large-scale manufacturing can kick off. Rees pointed out the need for funding to subsidize vaccine costs for low and middle-income countries currently facing outbreaks.
Rees also warned, "Unless the African region has access to all of these products required to respond to an emergency, we are going to forever be waiting in line." Ensuring immediate vaccine access is pivotal to nip the spread of Mpox before it escalates uncontrollably.
Even though supplies are set to arrive, they will not be enough for widespread vaccination programs immediately. The Africa CDC is prioritizing those at high risk, including individuals who may come to contact with the Mpox virus through networks or household interactions.
Research suggests infections on the eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are predominantly affecting children, contrasting with another outbreak wave affecting adult women, particularly sex workers. Kaseya addressed the need for community cooperation, stating, “We need people to accept the vaccine.”
He underscored the global significance of control measures, noting, “If today we stop this outbreak in Africa, we are also saving lives elsewhere in the world.” With urgency echoing through healthcare sectors, the continent is on high alert, intent on averting another pandemic misstep.
