Congo to Launch Mpox Vaccination Campaign Amid Escalating Outbreak

In a crucial move to combat the mpox outbreak, Congo will commence a vaccination campaign on October 2, targeting the provinces hardest hit by the virus. Authorities have prioritized Equateur, South Kivu, and Sankuru for the initial phase of the vaccination drive.

Cris Kacita Osako, coordinator of Congo’s Monkeypox Response Committee, revealed that the campaign will start in these provinces due to their high incidence of the disease. This follows the recent arrival of the first batch of mpox vaccines in the capital, which is the epicenter of the outbreak. The initial shipment includes 100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine, produced by Bavarian Nordic, a Danish pharmaceutical company. An additional 100,000 doses arrived on Saturday, provided by the European Union through its health emergencies agency, HERA.

Despite these efforts, the 200,000 doses represent only a small fraction of the 3 million doses deemed necessary to control the outbreak in Congo, which remains at the forefront of this global health crisis. The European Union has pledged over 500,000 additional doses, though the timeline for their delivery remains uncertain.

Since early 2024, Africa has reported 5,549 confirmed cases of mpox, with 643 deaths—a significant increase from previous years. Congo accounts for 91% of these cases, with the majority affecting children under 15. Burundi, another severely impacted country, also reports high infection rates among young children.

In response to the crisis, the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has initiated a continent-wide strategy to address the outbreak. This comes three weeks after the World Health Organization declared the outbreaks in 12 African nations a global emergency.

Congo has granted emergency approval for the mpox vaccine, which has already been used in Europe and the United States. Initially, the vaccination will be available only to adults, focusing on those who have had close contact with infected individuals and sex workers. The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Director-General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, emphasized that these groups are at higher risk of infection.

The European Medicines Agency is currently reviewing additional data to extend vaccine use to children aged 12 to 17, with potential approval expected by the end of the month, according to HERA Director-General Laurent Muschel. 

As Congo gears up for this critical vaccination campaign, the international community continues to rally support to curb the spread of mpox and mitigate the impact on affected populations.