The European Commission has delivered 10,000 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine to Uganda to support the country’s response to the ongoing mpox outbreak.
The consignment that arrived in Uganda Tuesday is part of the European Union’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).
It is part of over 215,000 doses donated by HERA to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to address the current crisis across the African continent.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) received 200,000 mpox vaccines to in September , while Rwanda received 5,420 mpox vaccines under a similar arrangement in October 2024.
In total, the Commission is coordinating over 605,000 vaccine donations pledged to Africa CDC via a Team Europe approach.
In addition to the donation by Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), Team Europe has so far delivered 135,500 vaccines from Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Portugal, with the remainder from other EU Member States underway.
These actions reflect the Commission and Team Europe’s broader work to strengthen preparedness and response capacities for both current and future health emergencies, to swiftly address emerging health threats through coordinated intervention and close cooperation with affected nations.
The Head of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), Laurent Muschel said: “We made a commitment to address the mpox outbreak in close cooperation with our partners. The 10,000 vaccine doses from HERA will help Uganda to tackle this deadly disease. We cannot fight these health threats alone – solidarity between continents is essential. We will continue to work on all fronts with our partners to ensure protection of vulnerable.
Director-General of Africa CDC, H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya said strong partnerships and coordinated efforts will ensure this outbreak is effectively contained and that vulnerable populations are protected.
He said the delivery of these vaccines highlights the power of collaboration in addressing health emergencies and building a healthier, more secure future for Africa.
“Together with the European Commission and Team Europe, we are making significant strides to safeguard vulnerable communities and strengthen Africa’s health security.”
EU Ambassador to Uganda, Jan Sadek said the European Union is a committed partner of Uganda and continues its support, to bring concrete benefits to ordinary Ugandans.
The arrival of these vaccines is a vital Team Europe effort that will strengthen the country’s response to combat the ongoing Mpox outbreak and help protect lives.”
