Gavi says Nigeria Receives 11,200 Doses of Mpox Vaccine Today
Nigeria is set to receive its first shipment of Mpox vaccines today, consisting of 11,200 doses donated by the United States and facilitated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
In a statement on Friday, Gavi’s CEO, Dr. Sania Nishtar, confirmed that the vaccines have been dispatched to Abuja.
The shipment follows an agreement signed in November for the donation of 305,000 doses to bolster global and regional responses to the mpox outbreak.
On September 24, the U.S. announced plans to donate up to 1 million doses to support the mpox emergency, beginning with an initial 305,000 doses through Gavi.
The vaccines, manufactured by Bavarian Nordic, are being distributed via the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) for Mpox.
This mechanism is managed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The 11,200 doses allocated to Nigeria are part of 899,000 doses distributed during the AAM’s first round to nine African countries most affected by the outbreak.
By the end of 2024, nearly six million vaccine doses from various global sources are expected to become available.
This includes 500,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine procured by Gavi in September through its First Response Fund, following the declaration of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Dr. Sania Nishtar expressed gratitude for the U.S. contribution, stating, “These donations significantly enhance the global mpox response.
Alongside the 500,000 doses procured by Gavi in September, we now have agreements in place to facilitate the distribution of additional pledged doses, ensuring rapid rollout in collaboration with our partners.”
Gavi’s First Response Fund will also cover delivery costs for the vaccines it procures or facilitates. This fund was established in response to lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Dawn O’Connell, emphasized the importance of international collaboration, saying, “This donation underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to providing over a million mpox vaccines to communities worldwide. Viruses know no borders, and coordinated efforts remain a priority both domestically and internationally.”