Crisis in Africa: Rich Nations Hold Vast Vaccine Stockpiles Amid Mpox Outbreak

Rich nations have hundreds of millions of vaccine doses that could help fight an mpox outbreak in Africa. Despite pledges, donated shots fall short of what is needed. Experts stress the need for urgent donations to curb the outbreak, with children and people with immune conditions being particularly vulnerable.

Rich nations are sitting on hundreds of millions of vaccine doses that could be deployed to combat an escalating mpox outbreak in Africa, as highlighted by a Reuters investigation. Countries like Japan, the United States, and Canada have long-stockpiled these vaccines as a safeguard against smallpox, an eradicated but more lethal relative of mpox.

This stockpile could significantly alleviate the worst-recorded mpox outbreak currently ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries. Despite the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stating that 18-22 million doses are required, fewer than 4 million have been pledged for donation. Disease experts argue that a fraction of these stockpiles could drastically reduce transmission rates.

Most concerning is the emergence of a new strain, clade Ib, which spreads more easily through close contact and has a high impact on children and those with compromised immune systems. Critics argue that the global community's indifference to these viral threats in regions where they originate could pose a global health risk.

(With inputs from agencies.)