The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is finalizing plans to obtain 100,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine from biotechnology company Bavarian Nordic for distribution to Latin American and Caribbean member countries.
Speaking during PAHO’s digital media briefing on Wednesday, Dr. Carissa Etienne, director of PAHO, said the organization secured an agreement, through its Revolving Fund facility, with Bavarian Nordic, which is headquartered in Hellerup, Denmark, to provide the vaccines.
Etienne noted that this followed requests from member countries for support in accessing doses, which were made during a special session of the PAHO Directing Council in August, noting that 12 such were submitted.
“We are receiving the final logistical details, such as estimates for freight and insurance, and the deliveries will be prioritized based on the epidemiological situation in countries. So partial delivery to countries that requested will start, now, in September… making our region the first World Health Organization (WHO) region to make monkeypox vaccines available to member states,” the director informed.
She added that “our effort will permit countries in this region to access the vaccine, even in small quantities, which would not have been possible otherwise”.
Etienne further indicated that the region of the Americas has the unenviable distinction of recording the highest number of confirmed monkeypox cases globally, since the WHO declared the disease a health emergency of international concern, in July.
“As of September 6, over 30,000 monkeypox cases have been reported in the Americas, with most cases concentrated in the United States of America, Brazil, Peru, and Canada. Thus far, most confirmed cases are among men… although at least 145 cases have been reported in women, and 54 cases among people under the age of 18,” she said to journalists.
In addition, four monkeypox-related deaths have been reported in Brazil, Cuba, and Ecuador, according to the director.
Etienne stressed that the vaccine will only complement the region’s monkeypox response and those other measures, such as engaging at-risk populations through public education, surveillance, testing, and contact tracing remain critical.
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