On November 6, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the distribution of 899,000 vaccines to nine African countries in response to a new mpox outbreak.

The nine countries receiving the vaccine doses include Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.

Notably, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive 85% of the doses, as it accounts for four out of five confirmed mpox cases in Africa this year.

In September 2024, Bavarian Nordic signed an agreement with UNICEF to provide one million doses of its mpox vaccine, Jynneos, to affected African countries, following criticism of the WHO for a slow vaccine rollout.

Bavarian Nordic has committed to supplying all vaccine doses before the end of 2024 and will work with partners to ensure vaccine availability into 2025.

Vaccination is part of a broader strategy to combat mpox, which includes testing, clinical care, infection prevention, and community engagement.

The vaccine allocation was approved by principals from Africa CDC, CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF, and WHO, based on recommendations from an independent Technical Review Committee.

The vaccines are sourced from international contributors, including European countries, the United States, Canada, and Gavi.

Limited vaccination efforts have already begun in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, marking the start of a new initiative for most countries.

This allocation follows the WHO's declaration of mpox as a global health emergency in August 2023, attributed to the spread of the clade 1b variant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries.

The mpox outbreak in the DRC was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO in mid-August 2023, with over 38,000 suspected cases and more than 1,000 deaths reported this year.

Further vaccine allocations are anticipated before the end of 2023 as part of a coordinated response to the outbreak.