The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that it has issued an emergency tender for the procurement of mpox vaccines in worse hit countries.
According to UNICEF in a statement, the vaccines can play a critical role in containing the mpox outbreak which was declared a public health emergency by both the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
UNICEF stated that the tender is issued to help secure mpox vaccines for the hardest hit countries in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, the Pan American Health Organization and other partners.
It noted that the agreements will enable UNICEF to purchase and ship vaccines without delay once countries and partners have secured financing, confirmed demand and readiness, and the regulatory requirements for accepting the vaccines are in place.
“WHO is currently reviewing the information submitted by manufacturers on 23 August and is expected to complete its review for Emergency Use Listing by mid-September,” UNICEF noted.
More than 18,000 suspected cases of mpox, including 629 deaths, have been reported this year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is at the epicentre of the crisis.Four out of five deaths have been in children.
Director of UNICEF Supply Division, Leila Pakkala, stated that addressing the current mpox vaccine shortage and delivering vaccines to communities who need them now is of paramount importance.
“ There is also a pressing need for a universal and transparent allocation mechanism to ensure equitable access to mpox vaccines,” Pakkala said.
Also speaking, Director General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya said that the timely procurement and distribution of vaccines is crucial to protecting the most vulnerable populations, particularly in the hardest-hit regions.
“ This emergency tender is a critical step forward in our collective effort to control the spread of this disease. Africa CDC is committed to ensuring that vaccines are allocated swiftly and equitably across the continent, in partnership with UNICEF, Gavi, WHO, and other key stakeholders,” Kaseya noted.
Source: https://thewhistler.ng/unicef-issues-emergency-procurement-tender-for-mpox-vaccines/