WHO Approves First Mpox Vaccine to Strengthen Africa’s Response to Ongoing Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first vaccine against mpox, a significant step in combating the outbreak in Africa. The approved vaccine, MVA-BN, is made by the Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic and has already been used in Europe and the United States. WHO’s prequalification of the vaccine is expected to enhance access to it in communities most in need, aiming to reduce transmission and contain the outbreak​(

UN News)​(World Health Organization (WHO)).

This approval comes amid an ongoing mpox outbreak that has infected over 20,000 people in Africa this year alone. The WHO has emphasized the importance of scaling up the procurement, donation, and distribution of the vaccine to ensure equitable access, especially in regions with the most urgent need. The vaccine is administered in two doses, four weeks apart, and has shown an estimated 82% effectiveness​(UN News).

While the vaccine is primarily approved for adults, WHO has also recommended its use in infants, children, and immunocompromised individuals in outbreak settings where the benefits outweigh the risks. This move is part of a broader effort to tackle the disease, which has seen over 120 countries report more than 103,000 cases since the outbreak began two years ago​(World Health Organization (WHO))​(Africanews).