The Commission’s first delivery of mpox vaccine doses arrives today in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Nearly 100 000 doses of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) vaccine will arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today. This is the first delivery of the vaccine to the country, and a second delivery of about 100,000 vaccines is expected in the coming days.

These vaccines are part of the 215,000 doses of the vaccine ^MVA-BN® vaccine that the European Commission’s European Health Emergency Response and Preparedness Authority (HERA) has procured and committed to share with affected countries in Africa in immediate response to the mpox outbreak.

Through Team Europe, an additional 351 500 doses will be provided to the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention from France, Germany, Spain, Malta, Portugal, Luxembourg, Croatia, Austria and Poland – and possibly other Member States – for distribution to the affected countries. This brings the total number of vaccine doses provided by Team Europe to at least 566 500, including the 215 000 doses mentioned above provided by HERA in cooperation with the pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic.

Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “The European Commission is today delivering the first doses of smallpox vaccines to the Democratic Republic of Congo. As of today, some 200,000 doses of vaccines from the Commission’s Health Emergency Response and Preparedness Authority (HERA) will arrive in the DRC to help tackle the outbreak. In addition, Team Europe has today announced a collective commitment to donate some 351,500 doses, bringing the total to at least 566,500 doses of vaccine. We know that in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can only tackle health threats like mpox if we work together and show global solidarity across borders. This is the European Health Union in action.

Source: European Comission