Mozambique is stepping up efforts to secure vaccines against monkeypox (Mpox), despite the fact that it has yet to register any positive cases of the disease. The country, aware of the rapid spread of the infection on the African continent, has been in contact with regional and international partners with a view to obtaining doses to respond effectively to a possible outbreak in the future, according to the newspaper O País.
Eduardo Samo Gudo, director-general of the National Health Institute, said that Mozambique ‘has been making endeavours to guarantee a stock of vaccines as soon as they become available’.
With no positive cases of Mpox yet, the country is stepping up vigilance at its borders, especially with South Africa, where cases have already been confirmed. ‘We are taking preventative measures. At the moment, Mozambique remains free of the disease, but we are acting with caution,’ added Samo Gudo.
The reinforced surveillance at the borders aims to identify and prevent the entry of potentially contaminated people, while complying with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) not to restrict travel between countries. ‘We are focusing on neighbouring countries with confirmed cases, but we are following the WHO’s guidelines of not imposing travel restrictions,’ stressed the director-general.
The African Centre for Disease Control (CDC Africa) recently warned of a global shortage of Mpox vaccines, with ongoing efforts to increase the availability of doses on the continent.
Nigeria alone has so far received 10,000 doses of vaccine, according to Benjamin Djoudalbaye, Head of Policy, Health Diplomacy and Communication at CDC Africa.
‘We are working with international partners to ensure the arrival of more vaccines in Africa,’ Djoudalbaye explained, also emphasising the importance of speeding up clinical training for their safe administration.
According to the information, this week Mozambique hosted a meeting of the CDC Africa’s technical advisory board in Maputo, with the aim of mapping out joint strategies to combat the disease on the continent.
The two-day meeting includes an assessment of the epidemiological situation of Mpox in Africa and the formulation of recommendations to strengthen the collective response to the disease and future public health emergencies.
The Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, expressed optimism about the outcome of the meeting’s deliberations: ‘We are confident that the recommendations that will be issued will strengthen the national, regional and continental response capacity to Mpox and other possible health emergencies.’
