In a significant commitment to global health, President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday the donation of one million doses of the mpox vaccine, along with at least $500 million, to support African nations in combating the outbreak of the disease.
This announcement was made during his address at the United Nations General Assembly.
Biden urged other nations to follow the United States’ lead in enhancing support for Africa’s response to the mpox outbreak, emphasizing the need for international solidarity in public health initiatives.
The donation comes in the wake of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring mpox a public health emergency of international concern for the second time in two years, primarily due to outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its spread to neighboring countries and beyond, including India.
An American official indicated that it would not be surprising to see cases of monkeypox emerge in the United States as well.
This statement reflects concerns about domestic preparedness, particularly in light of recent Congressional budget cuts that may hinder local pandemic response efforts.
The donated vaccines are expected to be the Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS, known for its efficacy against monkeypox and smallpox.
Many of these doses will come from the US, stockpile, aiming to bolster the vaccine supply available to affected regions.
