African nations hit by mpox still waiting for vaccines – despite promises by the west
September 1, 2024
African countries grappling with a new mpox variant are still awaiting promised vaccines, delaying the planned rollout. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the epicenter of the clade 1b variant outbreak, reporting 18,000 suspected cases and 629 deaths this year, according to WHO. The variant has spread to several countries, including Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and beyond Africa to Sweden and Thailand.
African countries grappling with a new mpox variant are still awaiting promised vaccines, delaying the planned rollout. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the epicenter of the clade 1b variant outbreak, reporting 18,000 suspected cases and 629 deaths this year, according to WHO. The variant has spread to several countries, including Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and beyond Africa to Sweden and Thailand.
WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the first doses should reach DRC "within days." However, similar assurances about U.S. donated shots previously failed to materialize on schedule, raising concerns about the reliability of vaccine delivery timelines.