The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive its first shipments of mpox vaccine doses this week, as it intensifies efforts to combat a severe outbreak that the World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared a global public health emergency. The head of the country’s mpox outbreak response, Cris Kacita, confirmed on Wednesday that the first batch of vaccines would arrive on Thursday, with a second delivery expected on Saturday.
Congo has been at the epicenter of the mpox outbreak, but efforts to contain the disease have been severely hampered by a lack of vaccines. This delivery marks a critical step in addressing the inequities that left African nations without access to the vaccines during the 2022 global mpox outbreak, while they were readily available in Europe and the United States.
“We’ll receive the first batch on September 5 and a second one on September 7,” Kacita told newsmen, though he did not provide details on the number of doses or the vaccine provider.
The arrival of these doses could pave the way for the country’s first wave of vaccinations, which Kacita hopes will begin on October 8. However, the start of the campaign is contingent on the timely delivery of the vaccines. The rollout poses significant challenges, as the vaccines must be stored at -90 degrees Celsius (-130°F), and the size and terrain of the country present logistical hurdles.
Kacita emphasized that the vaccines would not be distributed immediately upon arrival. “We need to communicate so that the population accepts the vaccination,” he explained, noting that the six targeted provinces have the necessary facilities to store the doses at the required temperature.
Mpox, which typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, has been particularly deadly in Congo, where the health ministry reported 19,710 suspected cases by August 31. Of these, 5,041 were confirmed, and 655 were fatal.
“The greatest loss of human life is in rural areas. These are remote areas where there is no support,” said a doctor involved in Congo’s response, who requested anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to the media. The doctor expressed concern that the success of the vaccination campaign would hinge on reaching those near confirmed positive cases, but many regions with suspected cases lack essential resources.
“We can’t have laboratories in places with no water or electricity. This is the weakness of current surveillance, the lack of capacity to check suspected cases in the laboratory,” the doctor added.
The upcoming vaccine delivery is a vital step in Congo’s battle against mpox, but the success of the campaign will depend on overcoming significant logistical and infrastructural challenges.
