The European Union (EU), through its Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), has announced the donation of 215,000 vaccine doses to combat the ongoing Mpox outbreak in Africa. The substantial contribution came as part of the EU’s broader efforts to address global health threats and bolster preparedness against emerging infectious diseases. In a statement released on Wednesday, the European Commission revealed that it would procure 175,420 doses of the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) mpox vaccine.
This particular vaccine, a non-replicating smallpox vaccine, is currently the only mpox vaccine approved for use in the EU and has been cleared for administration to individuals aged 18 and older. Additionally, Bavarian Nordic, the pharmaceutical company behind the vaccine, has committed to donating an extra 40,000 doses to HERA. The distribution of these vaccines will be managed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which will allocate the doses based on regional needs.
The collaboration between HERA and Africa CDC also includes efforts to enhance access to mpox diagnostics and sequencing capabilities across the continent, with a €3.5 million grant expected to be deployed by early autumn. Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, emphasized the importance of global cooperation in addressing health threats, stating, “Preparedness and response to health threats is a global endeavour whic.