Congo initiates inoculation against Monkeypox
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), people are getting vaccinated against the lethal monkeypox virus. The vaccination drive started in the eastern province of North Kivu, initially focusing on healthcare professionals, emergency responders, and those most vulnerable. The plan is to then extend it to other regions.
This Central African nation has obtained 265,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine from the Danish-German firm Bavarian Nordic. These doses were generously donated by the European Union, the vaccine initiative Gavi, and the USA, as mentioned in a WHO announcement.
The cases of monkeypox are on the rise in various African nations. Previously known as smallpox, this disease is also spreading to previously unaffected areas. Nonetheless, the DRC is the region hardest hit.
According to the WHO, over 30,000 suspected and confirmed cases, along with 990 fatalities, have been documented in the DRC since January 2024. This constitutes about 90% of the reported cases in 15 African countries for the year. Approximately one-third of the affected individuals are children under the age of five.
Given the urgent situation, prioritizing the distribution of vaccines to high-risk groups in the DRC is crucial to reduce monkeypox fatalities. Once sufficient supplies are available, the priority should shift to expanding vaccination coverage to all vulnerable populations.
