In an effort to curb the spread of a more dangerous strain of the virus, the World Health Organisation has called on manufacturers to step up the production of mpox vaccines.
After declaring the surge in mpox cases a public health emergency of international concern, the WHO is emphasizing the urgency for more vaccines as Clade 1b cases continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.
During a press briefing, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris stressed the importance of manufacturers increasing production to ensure widespread access to vaccines.
The WHO is also encouraging countries with surplus mpox vaccine stockpiles to donate them to nations currently grappling with outbreaks.
Recent years have seen the use of two mpox vaccines – MVA-BN, developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, and Japan’s LC16.
Harris highlighted that there are currently 500,000 doses of MVA-BN in stock, with the potential for an additional 2.4 million doses to be rapidly produced with buyer commitment.
Looking ahead to 2025, there is a possibility of producing an extra 10 million doses upon receiving firm procurement requests.
“LC16 is a vaccine produced on behalf of the Japanese government but not available commercially. There is a substantial stock of this vaccine,” stated Harris, mentioning WHO’s collaboration with Tokyo to facilitate donations.
– Urgent Appeal for Support –
Doctors Without Borders urged countries that possess surplus vaccine supplies but are not facing outbreaks to donate as many doses as possible to affected African nations.
The organization called on Bavarian Nordic to consider reducing prices, noting that MVA-BN is financially out of reach for many countries threatened by mpox.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies highlighted the significant challenges encountered in combating mpox.
Bronwyn Nichol, IFRC’s senior public health emergencies officer, pointed out that most vaccine reserves are in affluent nations, while those sent to Africa so far are insufficient to address the crisis.
“There is a severe shortage of testing, treatment, and vaccines across the continent, severely impeding efforts to contain the outbreak,” she emphasized.
– A Complex Scenario –
The WHO, under the leadership of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is set to issue temporary recommendations to countries on managing the mpox upsurge.
There are two subtypes of the virus: the more virulent Clade 1, prevalent in the Congo Basin in central Africa, and Clade 2, found in West Africa.
The spike in cases in the DRC is driven by two distinct strains of Clade 1, as highlighted by Tedros during a recent meeting of the UN health agency’s Standing Committee on Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
The first outbreak in northwest DRC, previously known as Clade 1 and now referred to as Clade 1a, primarily impacts children and spreads through various modes of transmission.
The second outbreak in northeastern DRC involves a new variant of Clade 1 named Clade 1b, identified in September last year, which is rapidly spreading, particularly through sexual transmission among adults.
The spread of Clade 1b and its detection in neighboring countries were pivotal factors contributing to the WHO’s highest level of alert.
“Addressing these outbreaks and bringing them under control will require a comprehensive, coordinated international response due to the complex nature of the situation,” Tedros emphasized.
AFP