The Democratic Republic of Congo received its long-anticipated first batch of mpox vaccines on Thursday, a significant step forward as health officials work to combat a persistent outbreak that has led the U.N. to classify it as a global public health emergency. With this delivery, authorities are hopeful that vaccination efforts can begin to make an impact in curbing the spread of the virus.
As the epicenter of the mpox outbreak, Congo has been grappling with the spread of the disease, which has extended beyond its borders to neighboring countries and other parts of the world. The lack of vaccines in Africa has posed a major challenge, severely limiting the continent’s ability to contain the sometimes fatal virus. With the arrival of this first shipment, there is renewed optimism that vaccination campaigns can begin to turn the tide against the outbreak, though much work remains to ensure that all affected regions receive adequate supplies.
A plane carrying mpox vaccines, produced by Bavarian Nordic and donated by the European Union, arrived in Kinshasa at around 13:00 local time (12:00 GMT), according to Reuters reporters at the airport.
Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba announced that the newly arrived vaccines, which have already shown success in the United States, would be distributed to adults in the country. He emphasized that the hardest-hit provinces, including Equateur and South Kivu, will be prioritized in an effort to contain the virus swiftly.
The first shipment includes 99,000 doses, with an additional 101,000 expected by Saturday, bringing the total to 200,000, according to Laurent Muschel, head of the EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). Europe plans to distribute 566,000 doses to the most affected areas, with Burundi likely to be next, pending medical approval.
The arrival of these vaccines is a significant step toward addressing the unequal access African countries have faced during the mpox outbreak, while vaccines were readily available in Europe and the United States last year.
Congo’s vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin on October 8, allowing time for a public education effort to address mistrust in certain communities.
Mpox, which spreads through close contact, including sexual transmission, causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled sores and can be fatal. Congo’s health ministry reported 19,710 suspected mpox cases in the first eight months of the year, with 5,041 confirmed cases and 655 deaths.
