There is a new global stockpile of mpox vaccines has been launched to help countries respond more quickly to outbreaks and ensure that vaccines are available to communities most at risk.
he initiative, launched on August 27, is expected to begin operating later this month. It creates a longer-term system through which countries around the world can request access to vaccines when they are needed to control mpox outbreaks.The stockpile was approved by the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in 2025 and is being financed by Gavi and coordinated through the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision.The ICG brings together the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).The new mechanism builds on the Access and Allocation Mechanism introduced in 2024 during the previous global mpox emergency. Its goal is to make vaccine access faster and more equitable, particularly during outbreaks when demand can rise rapidly.
Mpox continues to pose a global threat
Mpox remains a concern in countries across the world, with about two-thirds of reported cases occurring in the African Region. Between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2026, a total of 145 countries and territories reported 190,683 confirmed mpox cases and 529 deaths.
The viral disease spreads mainly through close physical contact between people, including sexual contact. Animal-to-human transmission also continues in parts of Africa, adding to the risk of new outbreaks. While many infections are manageable, mpox can lead to severe illness, particularly among children and people with weakened immune systems. Vaccination can help protect people at higher risk, reduce the severity of illness and help health authorities contain outbreaks before they spread further.
A response to unequal vaccine access
Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi said the new stockpile addresses a major lesson from the 2022 mpox outbreak, when lower-income countries struggled to obtain vaccines.“During the 2022 mpox outbreak, lower-income countries were left behind when it came to access to vaccines and it was clear that a mechanism was needed to ensure this global public good could be accessed by those who need it most,” Sania said. She further explained that the mechanism was designed to ensure that access would not depend solely on a country’s ability to pay.“The bottom line is that any country in the world – not just those with the ability to pay the most and should be able to use this tool to save lives,” she said.
Africa continues to bear much of the burden
Mpox remains a global health concern, with two-thirds of reported cases occurring in the African Region. Between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2026, 145 countries and territories reported 190,683 confirmed cases and 529 deaths.The virus spreads mainly through close physical contact between people, including sexual contact. Animal-to-human transmission also continues in parts of Africa.For some people, mpox can cause severe illness. Children and people with suppressed immune systems are among those at greater risk of serious disease. Vaccination can help protect people who are most vulnerable, reduce severe illness and help health authorities bring outbreaks under control.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General and CEO of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said making vaccines available to people who need them is essential. “Access to vaccines – for all who need them – is absolutely vital,” Jagan said. He said the global coordination mechanism would help ensure vaccines reach communities facing the greatest risk at the time they are most needed.“Both will help ensure vaccines reach the people and communities at greatest risk – when and where they are needed most,”
Children among those affected
Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of Unicef pointed to the wider impact mpox can have on children. “Mpox can be devastating for children – not just its physical effects, but also the stigma, interrupted learning, and fear that can come with being isolated from family and friends,” Catherine said.
The new stockpile is expected to help countries respond more quickly and get vaccines to children, families and communities at higher risk.MSF also welcomed the move. Dr Daniela Garone, the organization’s International Medical Coordinator, said the different mpox variants and the populations they affect make international cooperation increasingly important. “The distinctive nature of mpox, with the coexistence of different variants that affect different populations, now demands a close collaboration between country, regional and global mechanisms.” She also called for closer cooperation between health programmes, communities and public health organizations.
A permanent system for future outbreaks
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the stockpile would provide a more sustainable way of dealing with future mpox outbreaks. “The launch of a stockpile of mpox vaccines is an important step towards a more sustainable and equitable approach to mpox outbreak response,” Tedros said.The ICG has been coordinating emergency vaccine supplies for major outbreaks since it was established in 1997 following meningitis outbreaks in Africa. Its existing work covers diseases including cholera, meningitis, yellow fever and Ebola.The addition of mpox means countries will now have a dedicated global reserve that can be drawn on during outbreaks. For countries that have struggled to secure vaccines in previous emergencies, the new stockpile could mean faster access when infections begin to rise.
More information about:
Mpox
Mpox is a viral illness that spreads mainly through close physical contact, including sexual contact. The disease can be debilitating and disfiguring, affecting men, women and children in different contexts, and can, in some cases, lead to severe complications and death. WHO Mpox factsheet
International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision
The ICG was established in 1997, following major outbreaks of meningitis in Africa, as a mechanism to manage and coordinate the provision of emergency vaccine supplies and antibiotics to countries during major outbreaks. Although the occurrence of outbreaks is often unpredictable, further disease spread can be controlled by timely vaccination.
The core mandate of the ICG is to make available and ensure equitable access to licensed vaccines for cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, and Ebola virus disease during outbreaks.
The ICG mechanism seeks to ensure timely and targeted deployment of vaccines so that they can be used effectively in emergency settings where they are most needed.
The ICG manages the global emergency vaccine stockpiles and, working with partners, donors, and manufacturers, determines their size and composition with the goal of ensuring that adequate stocks of emergency supplies are accessible for emergency response.
In 2024, WHO and partners created the ad hoc Access and Allocation Mechanism for mpox vaccines. The longer term ICG will continue the work initiated under the AAM.
In 2025, the Gavi Board formally approved the establishment and financing of the global mpox vaccine stockpile. under the long-standing ICG mechanism to include mpox.
