Congo to Receive First Mpox Vaccine Doses Amid Urgent Outbreak Response

The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive its first batches of mpox vaccine doses on September 5 and 7 to combat an ongoing outbreak. The arrival of these vaccines marks a significant effort to curb the spread of the disease, which has been hampered by a lack of vaccine availability in Africa, unlike in Europe and the United States. Vaccination efforts are scheduled to begin on October 8, contingent upon this week's deliveries.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is poised to receive its first deliveries of mpox vaccine doses on Thursday, with a second batch expected on Saturday, as confirmed by the head of the country's mpox outbreak response, Cris Kacita.

"We'll receive the first batch on Sept. 5 and a second one on Sept. 7," Kacita informed, highlighting the effort to rectify a global inequity that has left African nations without access to critical vaccines, while Europe and the U.S. had ample supplies. Tens of thousands of doses from Bavarian Nordic, pledged by Washington and Brussels, are to be delivered soon.

Despite the impending vaccine arrival, launching the vaccination campaign scheduled for October 8 across the vast and tropical nation poses substantial challenges—especially as vaccine doses require storage at -90 degrees Celsius and community skepticism persists.

(With inputs from agencies.)