The United States is ramping up efforts to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa, with President Joe Biden announcing a donation of 1 million vaccine doses during his address at the United Nations General Assembly. This comes in addition to a prior donation of 60,000 doses, with 10,000 sent to Nigeria and 50,000 to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The vaccines, primarily sourced from the U.S. stockpile of the Bavarian Nordic Jynneos vaccine, are part of a larger global response.
In addition to the vaccine doses, the U.S. government is providing $500 million to help African nations strengthen their healthcare systems and better respond to the outbreak. The vaccines will be distributed with the help of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has expertise in global vaccine delivery. This move is part of a broader multilateral effort to contain mpox, which has affected over 25,000 people and caused 723 deaths across the African continent in 2024 alone. The U.S. has also been involved in supporting diagnostic testing, treatment, and research efforts to mitigate future outbreaks.
This significant contribution highlights the growing challenges countries face in maintaining robust public health responses, especially amid concerns of future budget cuts impacting vaccine availability- white house.
