US President Joe Biden revealed on Tuesday the pledge of 1 million mpox vaccine doses and a minimum of $500 million to African nations to bolster their efforts against the ongoing outbreak. Biden delivered this announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, urging other nations to do the same, thus confirming earlier reports by Reuters. "We must act swiftly to confront mpox," Biden emphasized. In August, the World Health Organisation declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has since spread to neighboring countries and further afield, including India, causing significant concern.
A U.S. official cautioned, "It wouldn't be unexpected if there were a case in the United States as well," highlighting that recent reductions in pandemic support by Congress could impede a domestic response. "We're currently struggling to respond effectively in this critical moment. Anticipating further cuts in the future will only make it increasingly challenging for us to mount a robust response to these types of outbreaks." Mpox, which typically spreads through close contact, is usually mild but can be fatal in rare instances. It manifests with flu-like symptoms and body lesions filled with pus.
The outbreak in Congo originated from the spread of an endemic strain, clade I. However, a new variant, clade Ib, seems to spread more readily through routine close contact, including sexual contact. Wealthy nations possess hundreds of millions of vaccine doses that could aid in combating an mpox outbreak in Africa, where donated shots fall significantly short of what is required, according to a Reuters analysis of public statements, documents, and estimates from non-governmental organizations. It is anticipated that the newly donated U.S. doses will be of the Bavarian Nordic vaccine, known as Jynneos in the United States, with many sourced from a U.S. stockpile.
The U.S. official stated that the administration expects Gavi, a public-private alliance that co-funds vaccine purchases for low-income countries, to distribute the donated vaccines. "We strongly believe that Gavi is the multilateral institution best suited to procure and distribute vaccines equitably," the official noted. Last week, Gavi announced its first purchase of 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's vaccine to aid in the fight against the outbreak. The Biden administration is also advocating for increased vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries and is collaborating with Brazil to determine how the Group of 20 can support the mpox response. Currently, there is no manufacturer in Africa capable of producing the complex drug substance required for the vaccine, according to the U.S. official.
Lawrence Gostin, a global health law expert at Georgetown University, stated, "The most significant aspect is Biden's public support for manufacturing capacity in lower-income countries to produce their own vaccines. This will necessitate Biden pressing pharmaceutical companies to transfer technologies."
