Nigeria is set to receive its first batch of Mpox vaccines, totaling 11,200 doses, donated by the United States and facilitated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi’s CEO, Dr. Sania Nishtar, announced on Friday that the vaccines have been shipped to Abuja, following an agreement signed in November to facilitate the donation of 305,000 Mpox vaccine doses to support the global and continental response.
On September 24, the U.S. announced its plan to donate up to 1 million doses to assist with the Mpox emergency, initiating discussions to donate the first 305,000 doses through Gavi. These doses, manufactured by Bavarian Nordic, have been allocated to affected countries via the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) for Mpox, which is led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The vaccines are part of the initial 899,000 doses allocated through AAM to nine African countries hardest hit by the Mpox outbreak. By the end of 2024, nearly six million vaccine doses from multiple countries and organizations are expected to be available. This includes 500,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine procured by Gavi using the First Response Fund in September, a month after the declaration of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Dr. Nishtar expressed gratitude for the U.S. donations, which significantly enhance the global response to Mpox. She noted that, in addition to the 500,000 doses procured by Gavi, the organization now has legal frameworks in place to facilitate additional pledged doses, ensuring they are rolled out as quickly as possible.
Gavi will use the First Response Fund to cover delivery costs for doses it procures or facilitates. This fund was established this year in response to lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Dawn O’Connell emphasized that the U.S. donation builds on its commitment to provide over 1 million Mpox vaccine doses to international communities affected by the outbreak. She noted that viruses do not respect borders and that both international and domestic coordination for Mpox remains a top priority for ASPR.
The U.S. doses, allocated through AAM, include the 11,200 doses now shipped to Nigeria. In 2024, 273,000 doses are planned for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and 19,600 doses for Rwanda. Gavi is also in discussions with the U.S. regarding the remaining 695,020 doses, which will be allocated through AAM once countries are ready to receive them.
In addition to facilitating U.S. and Bavarian Nordic donations, Gavi has provided emergency cash support of $2.7 million to DRC and $1.5 million to Rwanda for the vaccine rollout.
