Approximately 100,000 mpox vaccine doses are arriving in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today, with another 100,000 expected soon. These vaccines are part of the 215,000 MVA-BN® vaccine doses procured by the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to help with the mpox outbreak in Africa. Additionally, Team Europe will donate 351,500 doses from France, Germany, Spain, Malta, Portugal, Luxembourg, Croatia, Austria, Poland, and potentially some other Member States to the Africa CDC, bringing the total donated from Team Europe to at least 566,500.
The World Health Organization has declared the mpox outbreak in the DRC and several African countries a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), underscoring the urgent need for immediate response efforts.
“Today, the European Commission delivers the first mpox vaccine doses to the Democratic Republic of Congo. From today onwards, some 200,000 vaccine doses from the Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) will arrive in the DRC to help address the outbreak. In addition, Team Europe announces today a collective pledge to donate some 351,500 doses, bringing the total to at least 566,500 vaccine doses. We know from the COVID-19 pandemic that we can only fight health threats such as mpox by working in partnership and global solidarity across borders. This is the European Health Union in action,” said Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.
EU support for the mpox outbreak
This initiative is part of the EU’s efforts to support global health, particularly in response to the mpox outbreak. The Commission is coordinating with EU Member States to provide prompt assistance through the HERA Board and the Health Security Committee. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (rescEU) can provide mpox vaccines and therapeutics to countries in need, and the Commission is committed to improving public health in Africa. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) supports epidemiological work in the DRC and coordinates globally. The Commission has released humanitarian aid to support care, prevention, and surveillance in the DRC and Burundi and has deployed epidemiologists to the DRC. Regular humanitarian funding is also provided for surveillance programmes in Uganda and Kenya.
