In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of a global health emergency, there are currently no vaccines available for mpox. Despite the country’s request for the shots two years ago and assurances from manufacturers that they have supplies, the vaccines are stuck in a complex drug regulatory process at the World Health Organization (W.H.O.).
Dr. Samuel-Roger Kamba, health minister of Congo, emphasized the urgent need for vaccines, especially considering the more than 15,000 cases and 550 deaths from mpox in the country this year. The W.H.O. has not officially approved the vaccines, nor issued an emergency use license that would expedite access.
While high-income countries rely on their own drug regulators for vaccine approval, many low- and middle-income nations like Congo depend on the W.H.O. for guidance on safe and effective treatments. However, the W.H.O. has been criticized for being risk-averse and slow to act in emergencies, hindering the timely distribution of vaccines.
Despite having available doses of the Jynneos vaccine, manufactured by Bavarian Nordic, there have been no orders due to the lack of approvals. The W.H.O. recently signaled to Gavi to begin negotiations with Bavarian Nordic for the purchase of the vaccines, although approval is still pending.
Critics question why the W.H.O. did not act sooner to approve an mpox vaccine, especially since the virus has been circulating in Congo continuously. The delays in approval have raised concerns about the organization’s ability to respond effectively to global health emergencies.
Congo has approved the Jynneos and LC16 vaccines, allowing for donations to the country. However, challenges remain in delivering the vaccines, as the Japanese vaccine requires specialized needles and the Danish vaccine is costly. With support from Gavi’s pandemic emergency response fund, Congo may be able to procure the necessary vaccines to combat the mpox outbreak.