Africa in talks to get monkeypox vaccine

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Africa (Africa CDC) are in the final stages of negotiations to get doses to the continent vaccine to prevent monkeypox, this organization, which depends on African Union (UA).

“Negotiations are underway with partners who have a reserve, and we are negotiating access to this reserve so that we can use vaccine on the continent,” CDC Africa Acting Director Ahmed Ogwell said today during a virtual press conference.

Ogwell explained that the agreement was not to “buy” drugs, but to have access to saved dosebut did not disclose who his interlocutor is and how many units he expects to receive while waiting for the negotiations to conclude.

“We hope to complete negotiations in the next few days. We need to place 80,000 to 100,000 doses immediately,” he added.

Vaccines for the rich

rich countries such as USA or members European Union (EU) is acquiring vaccines so far recommended for immunization against monkeypox, which was declared an international health emergency in July. World Health Organization (WHO).

Among them is Imnavex, a vaccine approved European Medicines Agency (EMA) and for US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -where it is sold under the name Jynneos – against smallpox and monkeypox.

There is also an FDA-approved ACAM2000 vaccine to prevent smallpox.

In July, Ogwell said that the reasons why these drugs have not yet reached Africa “It is they who explain the delay in obtaining vaccines against COVID-19 or HIV treatment about 20 years ago”: the intellectual property of these products and the lack of funds to purchase them.

“(AT vaccine) are in the hands of those who have more capacity or where these products are produced,” he added at the time.

Ogwell mentioned the early takeover by rich countries vaccine against COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic, when Africa gained access to drugs much later than the countries of the global North.

Another major obstacle for African countries was the patents that pharmaceutical companies refused to grant, as well as the low capacity of the vaccine manufacturing sector on the continent, which imports 99% of the vaccines it consumes.

Since the beginning of the year about 6890 cases monkeypox in thirteen countries Africa – although the vast majority of these are likely and unconfirmed due to an initial lack of trained labs – and 173 deaths, resulting in a death rate of 2.5%, according to the African CDC.

On the other hand, countries where the disease is endemic are all African: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone. , South Sudan and Ghana (where it has only been found in animals).

EFE