From Scholastica Hir Makurdi
Worried by the recent Mpox outbreak which is posing serious health threat in Africa, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, has called for urgent global action to address vaccine inequity severely hampering the continent’s ability to respond effectively to the disease.
The Foundation which has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts, pushing for a pandemic agreement that ensures fair access to vaccines and treatments for developing nations, has expressed concerns that the current response to the Mpox outbreak mirrors the inequalities witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHF worries that Africa’s severe Mpox outbreak, driven primarily by the new clade Ib variant, is particularly deadly for children and has impacted at least 13 African countries, with more than 22,800 confirmed cases and more than 620 deaths reported this year.
While noting that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has endured the brunt, accounting for 96 percent of cases and 97 percent of deaths, Country Program Director, AHF Nigeria, Dr. Echey Ijezie, said “We started our push for equity during the COVID-19 pandemic, where we saw the devastating impact of vaccine hoarding on African nations. Now, we are seeing similar challenges play out with Mpox.”
Ijezie in a statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Saturday expressed concern that after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a global health emergency on August 14 2024, Africa has continued to struggle with access due to high costs and limited supply despite the availability of vaccines.
“Bavarian Nordic, the maker of the Mpox vaccine Jynneos, is charging an unaffordable $100 per dose in Africa, exacerbating the crisis. AHF is urging Western countries and Japan to expedite the donation of Mpox vaccines to Africa and for the WHO to fast-track the approval of other viable vaccine options.
“AHF’s advocacy extends beyond immediate vaccine delivery. The organisation is also pushing for a review of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which has so far failed to ensure fair access to vaccines and treatments for developing nations.
“What we are seeing with Mpox reflects the gaps in the current pandemic agreement. We need mechanisms in place that guarantee equitable access to vaccines for all countries, especially during global health crises.
“AHF has continuously highlighted that without accountability and enforcement in these agreements, poorer nations will remain vulnerable to the monopolies of pharmaceutical companies and the unequal distribution of life-saving health products.
It can be recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global south, including many African countries, was disproportionately affected by vaccine shortages. While developed nations secured large quantities of vaccines for their populations, many African countries could not provide even a single dose to most of their citizens. This glaring inequality had catastrophic consequences, contributing to over 1.3 million deaths across the continent.
“AHF Nigeria is echoing the calls of its global network for a more robust and enforceable pandemic preparedness plan that includes independent oversight, accountability, and real-time verification of compliance. Without such measures, the international community risks repeating the same mistakes with pandemics as they happen.
“AHF Nigeria is urging the WHO and global health bodies to not only speed up the delivery of Mpox vaccines to Africa but to also ensure that vaccine production technology is shared with the region.
Patent waivers and technology transfers are critical steps to enable local vaccine production and reduce dependency on Western manufacturers.
Dr Penninah Iutung, AHF Africa Bureau Chief, believes that “Without urgent action, the inequality we are seeing will only worsen, leaving African nations at the mercy of another public health disaster. We cannot afford to let history repeat itself.”
She said “The Mpox crisis has also shone a spotlight on the broader issue of how global health agreements are shaped. AHF Nigeria reinforces AHF Global’s position that any pandemic agreement must include provisions for the global south, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations are not left behind.
“Mpox spreads primarily through skin-to-skin contact, and symptoms include rashes and lesions on the skin. Vaccines are available, but the issue lies in accessibility and affordability.
“With cases now rising in over a dozen African countries, including 48 cumulative confirmed cases of the 868 suspected cases in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) as of August 2024, the need for global cooperation has never been more urgent.”
AHF Nigeria called on governments, international organisations, and pharmaceutical companies to prioritize public health over profits saying “This is not just about Mpox or Africa. It’s about global health security. Inequity anywhere is a threat to health everywhere.”