Global initiative launched to improve access to mpox vaccines

A global initiative to establish a stockpile of mpox vaccines was launched on 27 August, creating a long-term mechanism to ensure countries have access to vaccines when responding to mpox outbreaks, according to a joint press release issued in Geneva, New York, and Copenhagen. Set to begin operations later this month, the stockpile is a resource approved by the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in 2025, funded by Gavi and coordinated by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision. The ICG partners include the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The mechanism is designed to guarantee timely and equitable vaccine access for outbreak response. It marks a shift toward a sustainable model of preparedness against mpox.

The initiative builds on the Access and Allocation Mechanism established in 2024 during the last mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Mpox continues to cause outbreaks globally, with two-thirds of reported cases occurring in the African Region. From 1 January 2022 to 31 July 2026, 145 countries and territories reported 190,683 confirmed cases and 529 deaths. Mpox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close physical contact between people. Animal-to-human transmission continues in parts of Africa, contributing to the ongoing risk of new outbreaks.

Mpox can cause severe disease, especially in children and people with suppressed immune systems. By protecting people at risk of infection and severe disease, vaccines help contain outbreaks more quickly, prevent severe illness, and save lives. The ICG was established in 1997 following major outbreaks of meningitis in Africa as a mechanism to manage and coordinate emergency vaccine supplies and antibiotics during major outbreaks. Its core mandate is to ensure equitable access to licensed vaccines for cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, and Ebola virus disease during outbreaks. The ICG manages global emergency vaccine stockpiles, determining their size and composition together with partners, donors, and manufacturers.

Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, said that during the 2022 mpox outbreak, lower-income countries were left behind on vaccine access, making a dedicated mechanism necessary. She noted that Gavi supported the international response to the 2024 global mpox emergency by securing rapid access to doses through its First Response Fund. Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General and CEO of the IFRC, welcomed the step, calling it “rare good news.” Dr Daniela Garone of MSF stressed the need for close collaboration between country, regional, and global mechanisms given the coexistence of different mpox variants. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted the disease’s devastating impact on children, including stigma and interrupted learning.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the launch as an important step toward a more sustainable and equitable approach to mpox outbreak response. He stated that the dedicated global stockpile builds on an approach that has proven successful for managing other emergency vaccines. In 2025, the Gavi Board formally approved the establishment and financing of the global mpox vaccine stockpile under the long-standing ICG mechanism. The longer-term ICG framework will continue the work initiated under the 2024 Access and Allocation Mechanism. The stockpile is expected to help countries respond faster to outbreaks and contain them before they spread further.