President Joe Biden has announced that the United States will donate one million doses of the mpox vaccines to African countries grappling with the escalating virus outbreak.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Biden emphasized $500 million will help prevent and respond to the mpox crisis across the continent.

“We are ready to commit $500 million to help African countries prevent and respond to mpox and to donate one million doses of mpox vaccine, now. $500 million in aid to help prevent and respond to the mpox crisis across the continent.

“We must now move quickly to face (the) mpox outbreak in Africa,” Biden said, urging other nations to match the U.S. pledge and raise the total commitment to $1 billion in support for African nations.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international emergency last month following a spike in cases of a new mpox strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has since spread to neighboring countries. As of September 8, WHO reported over 25,000 suspected mpox cases and 723 deaths across Africa.

Biden’s call for global action signals the growing urgency to contain the spread and prevent further loss of life on the continent.

Keep in mind that Monkey pox is a viral disease transmitted to humans through infected animals and human-to-human contact. It manifests as fever, muscle aches, and large skin lesions, with severe cases proving fatal.

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