The Democratic Republic of Congo will soon receive its first mpox vaccine delivery, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
An international emergency was declared on August 14 due to the rapid spread of Clade 1b in the DRC.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, after returning from the DRC, announced that the first batch of vaccines is expected within days.
Over 18,000 suspected mpox cases have been reported in the DRC this year, with 629 deaths.
The Clade 1b strain has led to over 5,000 cases and 31 deaths in North and South Kivu.
Additionally, 258 cases have been confirmed in neighboring countries, including Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, and Thailand.
Tedros met with DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to discuss outbreak management and emphasized the need for clear communication and community engagement.
He expressed optimism about controlling the outbreaks within six months.
The WHO is expediting the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for two mpox vaccines, MVA-BN and LC16, to allow for their procurement by Gavi and UNICEF.
Meanwhile, 230,000 vaccine doses are poised for distribution.
