Congo will launch a vaccination campaign against mpox on October 2, authorities announced Saturday. The initial phase will focus on Equateur, South Kivu, and Sankuru provinces, which are the most affected.
Cris Kacita Osako, coordinator of Congo’s Monkeypox Response Committee, revealed that adults in these provinces will be prioritized. This week, the first batch of mpox vaccines arrived in Kinshasa, the outbreak’s epicenter.
The 100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine, provided by the European Union through HERA, are a crucial start. An additional 100,000 doses were delivered on Saturday.
Despite these efforts, the 200,000 doses are only a fraction of the 3 million needed to combat the outbreak. The European Union has pledged over 500,000 more doses, but the delivery timeline remains uncertain.
Since January 2024, Africa has reported 5,549 mpox cases and 643 deaths, with Congo accounting for 91% of these figures. The Africa CDC and WHO have initiated a continent-wide response plan.
Currently, the vaccine is approved only for adults, with priority given to those in close contact with infected individuals. The European Medicines Agency is reviewing data to extend use to children aged 12 to 17 by month-end.
