UNITED NATIONS, United States – The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has issued an emergency tender to secure mpox vaccines for crisis-hit countries in collaboration with the Gavi vaccine alliance, Africa CDC and the World Health Organisation, the organisations said in a joint statement on Aug 31.
Depending on the production capacity of manufacturers, agreements for up to 12 million doses through 2025 can be made, according to the statement.
Under the tender, Unicef will set up conditional supply agreements with vaccine manufacturers, the statement said.
This will enable Unicef to purchase and ship vaccines without delay, once financing, demand, readiness and regulatory requirements are confirmed.
The collaboration – which would also include working with the Vaccine Alliance and the Pan American Health Organisation as well as with Gavi, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO – would facilitate donations of vaccines from existing stockpiles in high-income …