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WHO Approves First Mpox Vaccine To Speed Up Response To The Disease
The group celebrated this as a major victory in the fight against the illness, especially in Africa where the virus has spread more widely. With WHO approval, the vaccine—which was created by Danish company Bavarian Nordic A/S—was approved for purchase and distribution by international health organizations like UNICEF, the Vaccine Alliance, and Gavi.
WHO did, however, issue a warning that supplies are still scarce because Bavarian Nordic is now the only company making the vaccine.
“This first (authorization) of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa and in future,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
WHO stated that it was developing a “access and allocation mechanism” to supply mpox testing, treatments, and vaccines to the nations who require them the most in order to guarantee equitable distribution.
This system seeks to alleviate the differences in medical supply access, especially in low-income nations that have been most severely affected by the illness.
The two-dose vaccination was approved by WHO for individuals over the age of 18. WHO stated that although the vaccine is not advised for those under the age of 18, it may be administered to newborns, kids, and teenagers in places where outbreaks are occurring and the advantages of immunization outweigh the dangers.
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted that additional data is required to establish the potential effectiveness of a single-shot regimen, but it also recommended that a single dosage may be used to extend the existing vaccines due to the restricted availability.
During the global outbreak of 2022, the mpox vaccine had already been approved in a number of rich countries in Europe and North America, but this was the first time the WHO had allowed its use globally. Adults in these areas have already received millions of doses, which has slowed the virus’s spread. On the other hand, little is known regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness in youngsters.
Children are especially vulnerable, according to health officials from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Information obtained from the Democratic Republic of Congo the nation most badly hit by mpox found that youngsters under the age of 15 accounted for roughly 70% of cases. Additionally, 85% of deaths were related to this group, according to the Africa CDC. WHO also released updated data, stating that over 103,000 cases of mpox had been confirmed in more than 120 countries since the outbreak started two years ago. In Africa, the virus had claimed the lives of 723 persons as of their most recent tally.
