The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted approval to Gavi and UNICEF to move forward with purchasing vaccines aimed at preventing outbreaks, with a particular focus on Monkeypox, while the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) decision is still pending.
This announcement was made by WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, in a statement released on Wednesday.
“In the meantime, I have given the green light to Gavi and UNICEF to proceed with the procurement of vaccines, pending the EUL decision.
“It’s vital to stress that although vaccines are a powerful tool, they are by no means the only tool.
“There are many other things that WHO, the Africa CDC and our partners are doing to stop outbreaks and save lives,” Ghebreyesus said.
Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, stated that the organization has been providing assistance to African countries affected by mpox outbreaks for several years.
He emphasized that WHO has long advocated for increased research, as well as the development of diagnostic tools, treatments, and vaccines for mpox, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to combat the disease.
“We see now it’s attracting the attention of the international community.
“As you know, two weeks ago today, I convened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations, and on its advice, declared a public health emergency of international concern over the outbreaks of mpox in Africa,” he said.
Ghebreyesus highlighted that such was the highest level of alarm under international health law.
“Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General, African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and I have spoken frequently to ensure our two organisations are working together closely to leverage our comparative advantages.
“And also to coordinate our work under one plan, with one budget, as Jean already indicated earlier,” he said.
He expressed pride in having initially proposed the concept of establishing the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) during the African Union Summit in Abuja, July 2013, when he served as Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“So I’m very glad to see how my daughter, the Africa CDC, has grown and is now co-leading the response to mpox with WHO.
“Credit also to all Member States of the African Union for establishing the Africa CDC.
“On August 23, we shared our global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, to stop human-to-human transmission and bring these outbreaks under control.
“I’m confident that mpox can be stopped if we work in unison under the leadership of you, the governments.
“On August 23, we received the information we needed from the manufacturers of both vaccines to evaluate their products for Emergency Use Listing,” Ghebreyesus said.
According to him, the organization anticipates issuing the listing within the next three weeks. In the meantime, they are actively providing support by supplying PCR machines and kits, enhancing laboratory capacity, and augmenting workforce numbers.
Additionally, they are conducting training sessions for health workers, offering support to clinicians, and collaborating with local partners and civil society organizations.
Furthermore, Ghebreyesus emphasized that they are actively engaging with affected communities in all aspects of their response, from designing and implementing interventions to evaluating their effectiveness.
“The last thing I would like to say is that the mpox outbreak is another reminder.
“If any were needed, of the critical need for a legally-binding international agreement to ensure a coordinated and equitable response to pandemics,” he noted.
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