Rwanda has launched the first mpox vaccination campaign in Africa, marking a significant step in the continent’s fight against the disease. As of Tuesday, the country administered 300 doses of the vaccine to high-risk individuals in a border region with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC), confirmed the commencement of the campaign, stating the urgency of curbing the outbreak.
“This outbreak must be stopped very quickly,” Kaseya said. He also pointed out the need for local vaccine production, stating, “We are working closely with our manufacturers and partners to ensure these vaccines are produced in Africa.”
The Rwandan Ministry of Health targeted health workers, cross-border business operators, hospitality staff, and other high-risk populations in the initial rollout. The DRC remains at the epicenter of the African mpox outbreak, reporting 2,912 new cases and 14 deaths in the past week alone, bringing the total to 6,105 cases and 738 deaths since January.
The DRC is expected to begin its vaccination efforts in early October, with 165,000 doses already delivered and additional supplies pledged by European nations. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), 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.
