World Better Positioned Against Mpox Than COVID, Says Gavi Vaccine Alliance

The global approach to tackling the mpox epidemic is significantly improved by the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Gavi vaccine alliance.

Gavi’s Chief Sania Nishtar emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic provided critical insights that are now being leveraged in the fight against mpox. “The learnings from COVID have led to the development of specific tools now being used to combat mpox,” Nishtar explained to AFP.

The COVID-19 crisis exposed severe global preparedness gaps and highlighted the stark vaccine inequity, with wealthy countries securing the majority of doses while Africa faced delays.

To address these issues, Gavi established a $500-million First Response Fund in June. This fund is designed to quickly provide financial support for vaccines during health emergencies, drawing on the lessons learned from COVID-19.

Gavi has already utilized this fund to purchase 500,000 doses of the MVA-BN mpox vaccine from Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic for use in African countries. The funding will cover both the cost of the vaccine and logistical expenses.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is transmitted from infected animals to humans and through close contact between individuals. It causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large skin lesions, and can be fatal in some cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international emergency due to the rise of the Clade 1b strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has spread to neighboring countries. Between January and August, nearly 22,000 cases and over 700 deaths were reported in the DRC.

In response, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has requested 10 million vaccine doses, with 3.6 million doses secured so far. WHO has pre-qualified the MVA-BN vaccine, expediting procurement by international organizations.

Gavi’s rapid action—35 days between WHO’s emergency declaration and the advance purchase deal—demonstrates an improved response time compared to previous crises. Additionally, Gavi plans to build a global stockpile of mpox vaccines starting in 2026 and has launched a $1.2 billion vaccine production accelerator for Africa.

Nishtar concludes, “Overall, we are in a much better position now compared to our response to COVID-19.”

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