WHO Approves Bavarian Nordic's Mpox Vaccine for Africa

The World Health Organization has pre-qualified Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine, marking the first approval aimed at combating the disease in Africa. The approval allows developing countries to access the vaccine, which is crucial given the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations.

The World Health Organization announced on Friday its approval of Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine, the first such shot endorsed by the agency to tackle the spread of the disease in severely affected African nations.

This approval, termed as pre-qualification, opens the door for developing countries that lack advanced technological and financial resources to ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, to obtain access to this vital vaccine. The outbreak, which started in early 2023 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has resulted in 37,500 infections and 1,451 deaths as of July 28 and has now spread to 15 African countries, as reported by Africa's CDC.

According to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, this milestone in vaccine pre-qualification is pivotal for the ongoing battle against mpox in the region and potential future outbreaks.

(With inputs from agencies.)