Access to Drugs and Vaccines for Mpox in Africa: Lack of Indigenous Political Will or Global Health Inequity?
Mpox (formerly monkeypox) disease, caused by the monkeypox virus was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 23, 2022.1 Following progress in public health responses in various countries leading to a significant reduction in the number of confirmed cases reported to the WHO, the mpox PHEIC status was declared over on May 11, 2023.2 Despite nearly one year of a global emergency response, where does Africa stand in terms of access to drugs and vaccines against mpox? A journey through history indicates that for over 50 years mpox has been endemic in several African countries including Nigeria, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Ghana, Benin, South Sudan, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).3 Two known clades of the causative monkeypox virus have been in circulation. One is the Clade I (previously known as the Congo Basin or Central African clade) and the other is Clade II (formerly known as the West African clade).3 The virus was originally discovered in monkeys in 1958 by a Danish laboratory, hence the name: monkeypox virus. However, it was not until 1970 that the first human case was identified in a child in the DRC. The epidemiology, clinical presentations, diagnosis and treatment of mpox has been extensively described by others.
Mpox, Monkeypox, Infectious diseases, Global Health, Africa, Vaccination