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Rwanda has rolled out the first doses of Monkeypox (Mpox) vaccines for its high-risk citizens.
These include truck drivers and those living along the border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). DRC is the epicenter of the deadly Mpox virus which has spread across African countries, prompting governments across the country to install emergency response teams across its borders.
DRC has reported close to 22,000 cases of Mpox with more than 700 deaths since the first case was reported early this year.
In August, the African Union’s Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced the Mpox virus as a public health emergency.As of September, Rwanda has ordered more than 10,000 doses of Mpox and vaccinated more than 500 citizens.
Africa’s CDC said that the continent requires more than 10 million doses of Mpox vaccines to deal with Mpox virus.
CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said: “we are committed to making sure that Africa gets at least this 10 million doses to protect our people.”
Some African countries that have reported cases of Mpox virus included Burundi, Morocco, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
In Kenya four cases of Mpox virus have been reported, with the ministry of health stepping up efforts to control the disease.
The ministry in a letter on 30th August 2024, said it was undertaking measures to contain the spread of Mpox, urging Kenyans to take precautionary measures to avoid contracting the disease.
