HQ Team
September 1, 2024: United Nations Children’s Fund, the world’s largest single vaccine buyer, has issued an emergency tender to buy mpox vaccines to fight the rapid spread of the disease in the African continent.
The World Health Organization is reviewing the information submitted by vaccine makers on August 23. It is expected to complete its review for emergency use listing by mid-September, according to a WHO statement.
More than 18,000 suspected cases of mpox, including 629 deaths, have been reported this year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is at the epicentre of the crisis.
Four out of five deaths have been in children.
The WHO declared a global emergency on August 14 following an outbreak of the disease in the continent, with Congo and Burundi being the worst-hit nations. Its recommended vaccines include MVA-BN or LC16 vaccines, or the ACAM2000 vaccine when the others are not available.
Africa CDC
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Africa CDC is partnering with UNICEF, Gavi — the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, and Pan American Health Organization in the procurement of vaccines.
“All of us must act decisively now or risk allowing mpox to spread further and become an even greater global threat,” said Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO incident manager for the global mpox response.
“In an interconnected world, the fight against mpox — as with other infectious diseases and health threats — cannot be waged alone.”
The UNICEF-led initiative will purchase and deliver vaccines after Gavi and other partners make funding available.
Stockpiles in high-income countries
The alliance partners will sign purchase or donation agreements with manufacturers for the most immediate dose needs, said Dr Derrick Sim, interim Chief Vaccine Programmes and Markets Officer at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
This collaboration to increase access and timely allocation also includes working together to facilitate donations of vaccines from existing stockpiles in high-income countries to contain the ongoing transmission of mpox.
UNICEF will set up conditional supply agreements with vaccine manufacturers.
The UN body procures more than two billion doses of vaccines annually for routine child immunization and outbreak response on behalf of nearly 100 countries.
Once the countries and partners have secured funding, confirmed demand and readiness, and the regulatory requirements for accepting the vaccines are in place, UNICEF will be able to purchase and ship vaccines without delay, according to the statement.
Expand production
The emergency tender is designed to secure immediate access to available mpox vaccines as well as to expand production.
Depending on demand, production capacity of manufacturers and funding, agreements for up to 12 million doses through 2025 can be put in place, according to the WHO statement.
“Addressing the current mpox vaccine shortage and delivering vaccines to communities who need them now is of paramount importance,” said the Director of UNICEF Supply Division, Leila Pakkala.
“There is also a pressing need for a universal and transparent allocation mechanism to ensure equitable access to mpox vaccines,” she said.
‘Control spread’
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC said: “As we confront the ongoing mpox outbreak, the timely procurement and distribution of vaccines is crucial to protecting the most vulnerable populations, particularly in the hardest-hit regions.
“This emergency tender is a critical step forward in our collective effort to control the spread of this disease.”
Africa CDC and its partners are also prioritizing prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement.
UNICEF is deploying personal protection equipment, diagnostic tests, medical treatment kits, hygiene supplies and tents to countries hit hard by the disease. These supplies support a host of medical countermeasures such as treatment, case isolation and surveillance.
