WORLD NEWS
Global mpox vaccine stockpile opens to country requests — operations begin in September
The World Health Organization (WHO) and international partners launched a global stockpile system on August 27 that allows any country to request vaccines in the event of an mpox outbreak, and announced on September 2 that it would begin operation in September. Gavi will pay the costs and the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision will coordinate distribution.
This does not mean that individuals will directly apply for this stockpile or that all residents will be vaccinated immediately. It is an emergency response device that ICG provides after reviewing its necessity and effectiveness when a country where an outbreak occurs requests it based on its risk level and response plan.
What’s new?
The key is to change the temporary access and distribution mechanism created during the 2024 international health emergency into a permanent stockpile system. WHO, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies collaborate within the ICG and are funded by Gavi. mpox has already been added to the methods used for cholera, yellow fever, meningitis, and Ebola vaccines.
Why do we need permanent reserves?
Negotiating new purchasing contracts and donations by country after the outbreak could result in vaccines arriving late and countries with lower purchasing power being left behind. Stockpiling is a device that reduces response time by using pre-secured quantities and a refrigerated distribution system. According to WHO statistics, 190,683 confirmed cases and 529 deaths were reported in 145 countries and regions from January 2022 to the end of July 2026.
Who can request it and when?
The WHO announcement explains that all countries can access it for outbreak response. However, the actual delivery will be decided after considering the request from the national authorities, local epidemiological data, vaccination targets and implementation capacity, and available supplies. Operations are scheduled to begin in late September, but the first distribution countries and overall stockpile size were not disclosed in the announcement.
Will the epidemic end with just a vaccine?
no. Because mpox is primarily spread through close physical contact, patient detection, testing, treatment, contact guidance, and risk communication without stigma are needed. Vaccination is a means of protecting people at high risk of infection or severe disease and reducing the spread, but is not a guarantee that all transmission will be immediately prevented.
What to check next
We need to see the stockpile size and product composition, country-specific request and approval standards, and actual delivery speed that ICG will disclose. Individuals should follow vaccination eligibility guidance from their country’s health authorities, and the launch of the global stockpile should not be interpreted as an expansion of individual vaccination eligibility. This article is based on data released on September 3rd, Korean time.