Mpox Vaccine Shortage in Africa Sparks Calls for Price Cuts

Africa is facing a significant shortfall in mpox vaccines, with current funding covering only about half of the 6.4 million doses needed to combat multiple outbreaks. Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, the mpox lead at the Africa CDC, highlighted the urgency during a press briefing, noting that countries like Sierra Leone and Uganda are particularly affected. Sierra Leone, for example, has only received 50,000 of the 280,000 doses it requested. Uganda also received just half its requested supply. Together with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), these three countries represent 86% of Africa’s current mpox cases.

In response to the crisis, the advocacy group Public Citizen is pressuring vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic to lower the cost of its mpox vaccine, MVA-BN. At $65 per dose, the high price is placing immense pressure on African health budgets. Public Citizen’s Peter Maybarduk pointed out that even the U.S. government paid less—about $55.35 per dose—while UNICEF paid more.

A recent report from Public Citizen revealed that Bavarian Nordic's earnings from the MVA-BN vaccine surged by 523% between 2022 and 2024, due to increased demand and long-term contracts with wealthy countries. The group argues this financial success gives the company room to reduce prices for lower-income countries.

Maybarduk’s open letter also stressed that hundreds of thousands of doses in a one-million-dose deal between UNICEF and Bavarian Nordic still require additional funding before they can be distributed. UNICEF itself is grappling with budget challenges. Executive Director Catherine Russell told board members that their 2025 income is expected to drop by 20%, with public sector funding falling to its lowest level in over ten years—just $250 million.

The global vaccination effort has also been weakened by reduced U.S. support. Public Citizen criticized the legacy of the Trump administration for cutting aid to the World Health Organization and weakening the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leading to uncertainty around 695,000 mpox doses pledged by the U.S. and broader disruptions in global health funding.

Although mpox cases appear to be decreasing, with a reported 30% decline in the past week, Dr. Ngongo cautioned that reduced testing—especially in the DRC, where rates have dropped to 13%—may be distorting the numbers. Despite this, Sierra Leone now accounts for 63% of Africa’s newly confirmed mpox cases, with 958 active cases. Ghana is seeing a small resurgence, while Liberia and Malawi continue to battle outbreaks.

Cholera Crisis Spreads Across 21 Countries

In addition to mpox, cholera is also surging across the continent. Over 150,000 cases have been reported so far this year in 21 African countries. Angola, previously the epicenter, saw a 46% decline in weekly cases, dropping from 1,782 to 956.

To combat the spread, the WHO has launched a 10-day oral cholera vaccination campaign targeting more than 2.6 million people.

In Sudan’s Khartoum State, cholera is rapidly spreading amid ongoing conflict. Since May, over 16,000 cases and 239 deaths have been reported. The WHO attributes the outbreak to destroyed water infrastructure, lack of sanitation, and limited healthcare access following attacks on utilities and the displacement of residents.