Monkey Pox: Germany to donate 100,000 vaccine

Germany will donate 100,000 mpox vaccine doses from its military reserves to help address the outbreak in Africa, a government spokesperson announced on Monday.

The donation aims to provide immediate assistance to the affected countries.

In addition, Germany will offer financial support to the World Health Organization (WHO) through various mechanisms to combat mpox and assist its African partners via the GAVI vaccine alliance, the spokesperson stated.

Germany currently has about 117,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine, which were acquired in 2022 and are being stored by the military.

A portion of this stock will be retained for the protection of officials travelling abroad, according to a defense ministry spokesperson. Any decision on replenishing the stock will be made separately, he added.

The WHO has declared mpox a global public health emergency following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that spread to neighbouring countries. A new strain of the virus, clade Ib, has raised concerns due to its rapid transmission.

Germany is working to expedite the delivery of the vaccines to the most affected regions, primarily the DRC, Burundi, and other East African nations, a foreign ministry spokesperson noted.

The Monkeypox outbreak in Africa has raised significant concerns about the spread of infectious diseases on the continent. Monkeypox, a viral disease caused by the Monkeypox virus, is endemic in several African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Cameroon.

The recent outbreak, which began in May 2022, has affected over 20 countries in Africa, with the majority of cases reported in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported over 5,000 cases and 200 deaths, making it one of the largest outbreaks of the disease in recent history.

The spread of Monkeypox in Africa is attributed to several factors, including the virus’s endemicity in the region, poor healthcare infrastructure, and inadequate public health measures. In many affected countries, healthcare systems are weak, making it challenging to detect and respond to outbreaks promptly.

Additionally, the virus’s transmission through human-to-human contact, as well as through contact with infected animals, has contributed to its spread. The WHO has warned that the outbreak could worsen if not properly contained, highlighting the need for swift action to control the spread of the disease.

The impact of the Monkeypox outbreak in Africa extends beyond the health sector. The outbreak has disrupted economic activities, particularly in rural areas where the disease is most prevalent. The closure of markets and restrictions on movement have affected trade and commerce, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity.

Furthermore, the outbreak has highlighted the need for improved global health security. The rapid spread of the disease across international borders underscores the interconnectedness of the world and the need for coordinated responses to public health crises.

In response to the outbreak, the WHO and other global health partners have provided technical and financial support to affected countries. Vaccination campaigns have been launched, and public health measures, such as contact tracing and isolation, have been implemented to control the spread of the disease.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook