Congo Receives Long-Awaited Mpox Vaccine Doses, Reports Reuters

By Ange Kasongo and Justin Makangara

KINSHASA – The Democratic Republic of Congo has received its initial shipment of mpox vaccines, with health officials optimistic that this will help mitigate an outbreak that has led the United Nations to declare a global public health emergency.

Congo serves as the epicenter of the outbreak, which has extended to neighboring nations and beyond. However, the scarcity of vaccines in Africa has hindered efforts to contain this potentially deadly disease.

A plane delivering doses produced by Bavarian Nordic and provided by the European Union arrived in Kinshasa at approximately 1:00 PM local time. Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba stated that the vaccine has demonstrated effectiveness in the United States and will soon be administered to adults in Congo.

"We are aware of the provinces most affected, particularly Equateur and South Kivu. Our goal is to contain the virus as promptly as possible," Mulamba added.

This first batch includes 99,000 doses, with an additional delivery scheduled for Saturday that will increase the total to 200,000 doses, according to Laurent Muschel, head of the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

Overall, Europe plans to distribute 566,000 doses in response to the most urgent needs in the region. Muschel noted that, based on case counts, Burundi is next in line for vaccine deliveries, pending approval from the country’s medical agency.

The arrival of vaccines in Congo marks a significant step in rectifying the disparity that has left many African nations without access to the vaccines used during the 2022 global mpox outbreak, while these vaccines have been readily available in Europe and the United States.

Congo intends to initiate its vaccination campaign on October 8, allowing time for comprehensive awareness efforts to address distrust in certain communities.

Mpox often presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, and it can be fatal. The health ministry reported 19,710 suspected cases of mpox in Congo during the first eight months of the year, with 5,041 confirmed and 655 fatalities. The virus spreads through close contact, including sexual interactions.