Uganda Receives 2,000 Doses of Mpox Vaccine from African CDC

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The African Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has allocated 2,000 doses of the MVA-BN Vaccine to Uganda to protect up to 1000 people against Mpox.

The MVA-BA which is a two-dose regimen with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval is recommended for use in adults. 

The US CDC Country Director, US Embassy Dr Mary Bond said before a product can be licensed by the US FDA, there is a very vigorous process of reviewing data that is taken into consideration.

Specifically, for this MVA-BN vaccine, there were over 22 studies that were conducted in thousands of adult individuals of 18 years and above. For each group, the vaccine was found to be safe and effective, Dr Bond said.

The Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng confirmed the development and said the MVA-BN vaccine is undergoing emergency use licensure by WHO and clearance by the National Drug Authority (NDA) to be used in Uganda.

In regard, the vaccine will also have to undergo testing as well as check the available literature about it in Uganda. As such, the Health Ministry is still waiting for clearance by the National Drug Authority (NDA) to consider its use in Uganda.

Meanwhile, NDA is waiting for information from the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NAITAG), Dr. Aceng said.

“The African Centre for Control will not bring the vaccine until the systems in Uganda have concluded and are ready to receive the vaccine,” Dr Aceng said

As the various approval processes are ongoing, the health ministry is also drawing up a plan on who to consider for the vaccine. Dr Aceng said the consideration will be for those who are most at risk, following mainly the district that borders the DRC.

To ensure adequate supply, the government is also working with development partners to secure additional doses of the Mpox vaccine.

Dr Aceng said the health ministry is also working on the modalities for the most equitable delivery and distribution of these vaccines informed by epidemiology and severity of the disease.

The WHO officer in charge, Christine Musanhu said that currently there are limited doses of Mpox disease, as such WHO and partners are having discussions on access strategies to make sure that whatever is available can be distributed. In addition, to advocate for the production of more vaccines.

The WHO officer in-charge Christine Musanhu on the left with Dr. Mary Bond US CDC country director US Embassy during the press briefing on Mpox. (Photo by Agnes Kyotalengerire)

Musanhu further noted that there is an urgent need to sensitize the public on how to prevent Mpox, identify cases and make sure they are sent to health facilities for proper treatment.

This was revealed during a media meeting on the update on the status of Mpox in Uganda at the health ministry on Friday.

The development comes after almost 100,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's vaccine were delivered to the DRC's capital, Kinshasa, as part of a European Union donation programme on September 5, 2024. Another 100,000 are expected on Saturday.

DRC where Mpox is endemic (part of their disease profile) has registered the largest number of infected people up to 3,235 cases this year alone. Since 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported over 4480 cases and more than 1,000 deaths according to WHO.

Vaccine experts speak out

The executive director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Prof Pontianco Kaleebu described the MVA-BN vaccine as “good and safe, consequently, it will protect those at risk.”

Prof. Kalebu said although the MVA-BN vaccine has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute plan to conduct clinical studies among children.

The clinical Geneticist, Immunologist, and Virologist at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Dr Misaki Wayegera, said despite being in the middle of Mpox outbreak, we do not have enough vaccines.

Dr Wayengera said we need to focus on public health interventions such as case finding, contact tracing and isolation of both the cases and contacts to help control the outbreak.

“When we identify and isolate cases and their contacts away from the community, then we stop transmission,” he said

He noted that part of the 2000 Mpox vaccine should be given to the district officials and health workers who are treating and managing patients at the Isolation centres because they are at high risk.

“When you protect the health workers, they become courageous to go out and help others,” he said.

Background

The epidemic spread from the original epicentre in Kamituga, South Kivu, DRC to eastern DRC with transborder spread to Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern. This was the second time in 2 years that reclassified Mpox to this highest level of response.

The global alert was preceded by a declaration by the African CDC on August 13, 2024, recognizing Mpox as a public health emergency of continental security. These declarations underline the seriousness of the situation and the need for concerted efforts to curb the spread of the disease.

The burden in Uganda

Uganda confirmed the first cases of Mpox on July 24, 2024, following the confirmation of two case-patients from Kasese District, Bwera Hospital by the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) through a routine surveillance system. These two cases were detected among six case-patients with symptoms consistent with the Mpox.

To date, the total of confirmed Mpox cases has grown to ten. Kasese and Mayuge districts have recorded three cases each, Kampala (2), with Wakiso and Amuru one each. Out of those, four individuals have since recovered, while the six are receiving care at the

Understanding Mpox

Mpox is a zoonotic disease which means that is transmitted from animals to human beings through handling or consuming infected animals, such as squirrels, rats, mice or monkeys.

It can also be spread from one infected human being to another through direct physical contact such as kissing, or sexual contact with an infected person, the incident commander Mpox Dr Henry Bosa Kyobe said.

Dr Henry Bossa Kyobe, the incident commander Mpox addressing journalists. (Photo by Agnes Kyotalengerire)

Infected pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers can pass on the virus to their unborn babies or newborn babies by close contact during and after birth.

Inhalation of droplets from infected individuals with nasal involvement or exposure to respiratory droplets from an infected person and contact with contaminated materials such as bedding, clothing or needles that have been used by an infected person.

Signs and symptoms

When a person is infected with Mpox, they will develop signs and symptoms in two phases. The first phase is characterized by fever, body ache and runny nose which last a few days. In the second phase, an individual will develop a skin rash, and swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck, armpits, and groin. Others include mouth and sore throat, headache, back pain, and general body weakness.