Stockpiling for mpox emergencies
Gavi is currently supporting the effort to contain the mpox outbreak in countries across Africa, but a stockpile could be on the way.
- 28 April 2025
- 2 min read
- by Gavi Staff
Recent outbreaks of mpox have highlighted the global threat posed by this virus. Historically an infection that circulated in animals and only occasionally affected humans, mpox is increasingly spreading from person to person through close contact, causing a painful rash, fever, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. Depending on the strain, it can be deadly in up to 10% of cases.
So far, two vaccines have been recommended by the World Health Organization to help prevent and reduce the symptoms of mpox. These are currently being deployed in several countries in Africa, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Gavi is also working towards the establishment of an emergency stockpile of mpox vaccine doses to respond to future outbreaks, subject to the availability of funding during its next strategic cycle.
The existence of an mpox vaccine stockpile would have several benefits. “At the moment, the vaccines being used to control the global mpox emergency are being funded through a combination of doses procured by Gavi through its First Response Fund, which provides rapid early funding for health emergencies, and donations from countries that have their own supplies of mpox vaccine. “This is not really a sustainable way of providing access to these vaccines,” says Allyson Russell, Gavi’s Senior Programme Manager for Outbreaks and Global Health Security.
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Funding vaccine stockpiles is also an effective way of incentivising manufacturers to continue investing in vaccine supply, when the demand for outbreak responses is unpredictable. “It sends some clear signals to the market about what’s going to be needed in the longer run,” says Russell. “We don’t know how the public health emergency is going to emerge over the next few years, and we want to make sure that there’s a supply of vaccines available.”
This stockpile is, however, dependent on Gavi securing enough investment for it. The Vaccine Alliance is currently fundraising for its next five year period, running from 2026–2030, aiming to secure US$ 9 billion from governments, foundations and private sector donors across the world. If secured, part of this funding would be used to build a stockpile of mpox vaccines that can be used for a swift response to future outbreaks.
