Germany will donate 100,000 mpox vaccine doses from its military stocks to help contain the outbreak in Africa and provide help to the affected countries, Reuters reported on Monday, August 26, citing a government spokesperson.
This follows announcement by the United States of a donation of 10,000 mpox vaccines doses, which are expected to arrive in Africa this week.
ALSO READ: Africa to receive first mpox vaccines amid global inequity concerns
The German government will provide the World Health Organization (WHO) with flexible financial resources via various instruments to combat mpox and also support its partners in Africa through the GAVI vaccination alliance, the official said.
Germany has around 117,000 doses of Jynneos, which is being stockpiled by the German army after Berlin procured it in 2022.
ALSO READ: WHO seeks mpox vaccine manufacturers for emergency evaluation amid surging outbreak
The European country will keep a minimum amount of stock, to protect travelling authorities, for example, said a defence ministry spokesperson on Monday. A separate decision would need to be made when it comes to reordering vaccines, he added.
The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency on August 14 after an outbreak in DR Congo spread to neighbouring countries and a new form of the virus, clade Ib, triggered concerns about the speed of transmission.
The German government was looking at the quickest way to get the vaccines to the affected countries, primarily DR Congo, but also Burundi and neighbouring countries in East Africa, according to a foreign ministry spokesperson.
