Africa: Global Initiative Launched to Improve Access to Mpox Vaccines

What the report says

The World Health Organization says a global initiative to create a stockpile of mpox vaccines was launched on 27 August, with operations expected to begin later this month. The effort is designed to give countries faster and more equitable access to vaccines during outbreaks, especially when urgent response capacity is needed.

According to the report published by AllAfrica from WHO material, the stockpile was approved by the Gavi Board in 2025 and will be funded by Gavi and coordinated through the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision. That group includes the IFRC, Médecins Sans Frontières, UNICEF and WHO. The new arrangement builds on an Access and Allocation Mechanism created in 2024 during the last mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

WHO said mpox continues to produce outbreaks worldwide, with a large share of reported cases coming from Africa. The article notes that cases have been reported across many countries and territories since 2022, and that the disease can be severe, including for children and people with weakened immune systems. The stockpile is intended to help health authorities contain outbreaks earlier, reduce severe illness and support more consistent access to emergency vaccine supplies.

The move matters because it formalizes a longer-term global system for distributing mpox vaccines, rather than relying only on ad hoc emergency access. In general public-health terms, such stockpiles are used to speed deployment during outbreaks and help align supply with need.