The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received its first sets of mpox vaccines after delays in logistics, donated by Western countries. The country is currently the epicenter of a new mpox outbreak, with over 20,000 cases reported and more than 500 deaths. However, DRC and other African nations do not produce the vaccines needed to combat the virus, relying on donations from abroad.
While Japan and Denmark are the only countries with mpox vaccine manufacturers, promised donations from Japan to DRC did not materialize in August. Last week, the European Union donated doses, followed by the United States via USAID with vaccines from Danish pharmaceutical Bavarian Nordic. DRC, with a population of 100 million, plans to distribute the doses in hard-hit regions.
African countries face challenges in vaccine production with less than 2 percent produced on the continent. Countries like South Africa’s AspenPharma and manufacturers like Afrigen and Biovac are working to develop and manufacture vaccines, but face financial, technical, and regulatory hurdles. Some countries are collaborating with established partners to build production capacity.
The AU aims for Africa to produce 60 percent of vaccines by 2040, but the limited capabilities raise questions about achieving this goal. However, efforts like Kenya’s partnership with Moderna to build a mRNA vaccine facility show progress. Prioritizing funding for research, development, and quality facilities is crucial in increasing local vaccine production in the future.
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