“During the 2022 mpox outbreak, lower-income countries were left behind when it came to access to vaccines,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. A new global stockpile is meant to make sure that does not happen again.
Gavi says the stockpile will begin operations later this month. It is the fifth emergency vaccine reserve that Gavi funds and the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision manages, after yellow fever, meningitis, Ebola and cholera. The ICG’s partners are WHO, UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
“Any country in the world, not just those with the ability to pay the most, should be able to use this tool to save lives,” Nishtar said.
How a country gets doses
Any country can apply. Technical experts from the ICG’s partners check each request against set criteria: is the target population, the vaccination strategy and the number of doses right for the outbreak? They aim to decide within 48 hours.
Countries eligible for Gavi support receive stockpiled vaccines free and can also get money to run vaccination campaigns. Wealthier countries get doses just as fast, with Gavi pre-financing them, but must pay the cost back afterward. Because supplies are limited, the stockpile is built mainly for emergency response. Its size and composition have not yet been announced.
Until now, Gavi has backed mpox vaccine access through its First Response Fund, which pre-positions up to US$500 million for buying vaccines in the early days of a health emergency. It has also given emergency cash grants to countries including DRC, Rwanda, Liberia, Uganda and Nigeria for local roll-out. The stockpile puts that help on a permanent footing, with doses secured in advance.
Where mpox stands
Two thirds of cases are now in Africa. From 1 January 2022 to 19 July 2026, 145 countries and territories reported 188,847 confirmed cases and 521 deaths.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the stockpile “an important step towards a more sustainable and equitable approach to mpox outbreak response.” Gavi adds that a standing reserve tells manufacturers mpox vaccines will keep being needed, which should help keep supply reliable.
“Access to vaccines, for all who need them, is absolutely vital,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General and CEO of the IFRC. He said the coordination mechanism and the stockpile will help vaccines reach people and communities at greatest risk.
