The Canadian government has announced plans to donate up to 200,000 doses of the Imvamune vaccine to help combat the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries. The doses will be drawn from Canada’s current vaccine supply, ensuring that the country’s preparedness for mpox remains unaffected. Health Minister Mark Holland stated that this donation aims to protect individuals in the most affected regions of Africa and curb the further spread of the virus.
Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology and Global Health, welcomed the donation but noted that it represents only a small fraction of the estimated 10 million doses needed to control the outbreak. Despite the recent start of vaccine donations from wealthier nations, almost a month has passed since the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. In response, Global Affairs Canada had earlier pledged $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research, and community awareness in Africa.
On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported that mpox cases continue to rise and that testing rates across the continent remain inadequate. Jason Kindrachuk, Canada Research Chair in Emerging Viruses at the University of Manitoba, emphasized the critical importance of vaccine donations alongside support for surveillance and diagnostics. However, Kindrachuk, who has worked in Congo during the epidemic, expressed frustration over the delayed international response, stating that early intervention would have been preferable.
The outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo began in early 2023, while clade II mpox, which is endemic to West Africa, gained global attention in 2022 as it spread to other countries, including Canada. With two doses recommended for full vaccination, the donation could potentially benefit only 100,000 people. Dr. Pai questioned the adequacy of Canada’s contribution, pointing out that the federal government has not disclosed what percentage of its vaccine stockpile is being donated. He stressed that small donations are insufficient to resolve the crisis and called for greater solidarity, reflecting the lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that global safety is interconnected.
