WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States has committed to donate one million doses of mpox vaccines and $500 million to support African countries to prevent and respond to the current mpox outbreak.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York Tuesday, President Joe Biden called on governments, charities, and businesses to match the U.S. pledge and make this a $1 billion commitment to the people of Africa.
These aid will be delivered both bilaterally, through existing relationships with partner countries, as well as through multilateral institutions, the White House said.
In addition to financial support and vaccines, the U.S. Government has surged dozens of staff, including epidemiologists, laboratorians, and risk communication experts to offer support to the mpox response in DR Congo and the surrounding countries affected by the disease.
The first U.S.-donated vaccine doses arrived in Nigeria in August, and in DR Congo in September. The next installment of the U.S. commitment, 300,000 vaccine doses, will be available immediately for disbursement in coordination with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the WHO Access and Allocation Mechanism.
Additional mpox vaccine doses, pledged by Biden, will be delivered in tranches pending country progress in administering the vaccines, in coordination with Gavi.
Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2024 AFX News
