Rwanda Leads Africa in Pioneering Mpox Vaccination Campaign

Rwanda has made history by launching the first mpox vaccination campaign in Africa, a milestone in the continent's battle against the disease.

As of Tuesday, 300 doses have been administered to high-risk individuals in a border region adjacent to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC), shows the urgency of the situation, stating, "This outbreak must be stopped very quickly."

The Rwandan Ministry of Health has prioritized vaccinating health workers, cross-border business operators, hospitality staff, and other high-risk populations in the initial phase of the rollout.

The DRC, which remains at the epicenter of the African mpox outbreak with 2,912 new cases and 14 deaths reported in the past week alone, is set to begin its vaccination efforts in early October.

The country has already received 165,000 doses, with additional supplies pledged by European nations. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has called for international cooperation to halt the spread of mpox. "International collaboration and support are needed to stop the spread of the virus," Ghebreyesus wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Other African nations, including Nigeria, have also received support in the form of vaccine donations. In August, the United States provided 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine to Nigeria through USAID, further bolstering efforts to contain the outbreak.

Jean Kaseya also highlighted the need for local vaccine production, stating, "We are working closely with our manufacturers and partners to ensure these vaccines are produced in Africa."