Global Mpox Vaccine Stockpile Launched to Ensure Faster and More Equitable Access During Outbreaks.

GENEVA/NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN:

A new global initiative to establish a stockpile of mpox vaccines has been launched to ensure that countries can obtain vaccines quickly and equitably when responding to outbreaks, international health and humanitarian organizations announced.

The initiative was launched on August 27 and is expected to begin operations later this month. The global mpox vaccine stockpile will be accessible to countries worldwide and is designed to provide a long-term mechanism for securing vaccines during outbreaks, particularly in countries and communities that have historically faced barriers to vaccine access.

The stockpile was approved by the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in 2025 and is funded by Gavi and coordinated by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision.

The ICG partners include the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Building on Lessons From Previous Mpox Emergencies

The new mechanism builds on the Access and Allocation Mechanism established in 2024 during the previous global Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for mpox.

According to the organizations behind the initiative, the stockpile will help ensure that vaccines are available when and where they are most urgently needed. It is intended to strengthen global preparedness and reduce inequalities in access to vaccines during future outbreaks.

The initiative comes as mpox continues to cause outbreaks in several parts of the world. The African Region accounts for approximately two-thirds of reported cases.

Between January 1, 2022 and July 31, 2026, a total of 145 countries and territories reported 190,683 confirmed mpox cases and 529 deaths, according to the joint announcement.

Children and Vulnerable Communities Face Serious Risks

Mpox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close physical contact between people. Animal-to-human transmission also continues to occur in parts of Africa, contributing to the risk of new outbreaks.

Although many infections are manageable, mpox can cause severe illness, particularly among children and people with suppressed immune systems.

Vaccination can play a critical role in controlling outbreaks by protecting people at increased risk of infection and severe disease. Rapid access to vaccines can help contain transmission, prevent serious illness and save lives.

For children, the effects of mpox can extend beyond physical illness. Infection and isolation can disrupt schooling and separate children from their families and communities, while stigma and fear can create additional psychological and social challenges.

Gavi: No Country Should Be Left Behind

Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said the initiative was driven by lessons from the 2022 global mpox outbreak, when lower-income countries struggled to obtain vaccines.

She said the experience demonstrated the need for a mechanism that would allow vaccines to be accessed by countries based on need rather than their ability to pay.

Gavi supported the international response during the 2024 mpox emergency by securing rapid access to vaccine doses through its First Response Fund. Its Board subsequently approved the establishment and financing of a permanent global stockpile managed by ICG partners.

Nishtar said the objective is to ensure that countries around the world—not only those able to pay the highest prices—can access vaccines when needed.

IFRC: Vaccines Must Reach Communities Most at Risk

Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General and CEO of the IFRC, welcomed the launch, emphasizing that equitable access to vaccines is essential for controlling mpox.

He said the global coordination mechanism and stockpile would help ensure vaccines reach people and communities facing the greatest risks at the time and location where they are most needed.

Chapagain described the development as an important step in the fight against mpox.

MSF Calls for Coordinated Response

Dr Daniela Garone, International Medical Coordinator at MSF, said the organization welcomed the creation of the global stockpile and the mechanism for allocating vaccines according to outbreak needs and their potential impact on disease control.

She highlighted the changing nature of mpox, including the coexistence of different variants affecting different populations.

Garone said effective vaccination efforts would require close cooperation between national, regional and global health mechanisms, as well as disease programmes, health managers, communities and public health organizations.

UNICEF Highlights Impact on Children

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the particular risks mpox poses to children.

“Mpox can be devastating for children,” Russell said, noting that its effects can include not only physical illness but also stigma, interrupted learning and fear associated with being separated from family and friends.

She said the new initiative would help vaccines reach children, families and communities most at risk more quickly.

WHO: Stockpile Strengthens Global Preparedness

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the launch as an important step toward a more sustainable and equitable approach to mpox outbreak response.

He said establishing a dedicated global stockpile would allow countries to obtain vaccines more rapidly when outbreaks occur, helping to save lives and contain transmission before outbreaks spread further.

The WHO chief also noted that the approach draws on mechanisms that have successfully been used to manage other emergency vaccine needs.

A Long-Term Tool for Global Outbreak Response

The new stockpile represents an effort to move mpox preparedness away from a largely emergency-driven model toward a more sustainable system in which vaccines can be rapidly deployed when outbreaks emerge.

By maintaining a dedicated global supply and establishing a coordinated allocation mechanism, the initiative aims to reduce delays in vaccine distribution and improve equity between countries.

The organizations involved say the ultimate goal is to ensure that vaccine availability during an outbreak is determined by public health need, rather than by a country’s financial capacity.

With mpox continuing to circulate globally and a significant proportion of reported cases occurring in Africa, the new stockpile is expected to become an important component of international preparedness and response efforts.

The initiative is scheduled to begin operations later in September 2026, marking a new phase in global efforts to ensure faster, more equitable and coordinated access to mpox vaccines.