Monkeypox: Africa CDC warns on vaccine hoarding amid monkeypox outbreak

Monkeypox, a usually mild viral infection, is endemic in the African countries of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.

But it has caused global alarm after more than 200 suspected and confirmed cases of the virus were detected in at least 19 countries since early May, mostly in Europe. No deaths have been reported so far. read more

"Vaccines should go to where it is needed the most and equitably, so based on risk, and not on who can be able to buy it," Ahmed Ogwell Ouma of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention told a news conference. ...

Ogwell Ouma's comments came a day after South African disease experts said they did not think there was a need for mass vaccination campaigns globally against monkeypox and that vaccines should be prioritised for other deadly infections. read more

Africa has used smallpox vaccines to manage outbreaks of monkeypox in the past, he said, urging the general public to avoid looking for those vaccines and squeezing supplies for those most at risk. ...

"The prioritisation is first health workers who are in the frontline, and then the affected communities where the outbreaks are first characterised, before contemplating the general public," Ogwell Oumasaid.

...
ALSO SEE: Britain has procured 20,000 doses of vaccine against monkeypox