The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that it had officially granted its first approval for the use of a vaccine against mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) in adults.

The organization hailed this as a significant step towards controlling the disease, particularly in Africa where the virus has been more widespread.

The vaccine, developed by Danish manufacturer Bavarian Nordic A/S, received WHO's authorization, allowing global health agencies such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF to purchase and distribute it. However, WHO cautioned that supplies remain limited, as Bavarian Nordic is currently the sole producer of 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.

Distribution challenges

To ensure fair distribution, WHO said it was working on an "access and allocation mechanism" to provide mpox tests, treatments, and vaccines to the countries that need them most.

This mechanism aims to address the disparities in access to medical supplies, particularly in low-income countries that have been hardest hit by the disease.

WHO approved the two-dose vaccine for adults aged 18 and above. While the vaccine is not recommended for those under 18, WHO noted that it could be used in infants, children, and adolescents in areas experiencing outbreaks where the benefits of vaccination outweighed the risks.

Due to the limited supply, WHO also suggested that a single dose could be used to stretch the available vaccines, though it emphasized that more data is needed to confirm how effective a single-shot regimen might be.

While the mpox vaccine had already been approved in several wealthy nations across Europe and North America during the 2022 global outbreak, this marked the first time WHO authorized its use on a global scale.

Millions of doses have already been administered to adults in these regions, slowing the virus' transmission. However, less is known about how well the vaccine works in children.

Health officials at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) highlighted the vulnerability of children in particular.

Data from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country most severely affected by mpox, revealed that nearly 70% of cases there were in children under 15. This group also accounted for 85% of deaths, according to the Africa CDC.

WHO also provided updated statistics, noting that since the outbreak began two years ago, more than 103 000 cases of mpox have been confirmed in over 120 countries. As of their latest count, 723 people in Africa had died from the virus.

Vaccine demand v supply

Experts estimate the continent will need around 10 million doses of the vaccine to curb the ongoing outbreaks. However, donor countries have only committed to providing about 3.6 million doses so far.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the hardest-hit nations, had received just 250 000 doses as of last week.

On Thursday, Africa CDC reported 107 new deaths and 3 160 new cases across the continent in the previous week. This came just days after WHO and Africa CDC launched a joint continent-wide response plan aimed at containing the virus.

With the demand for vaccines far exceeding the available supply, WHO and African health experts continue to push for more resources and equitable distribution to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children.