Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
Vaccines are a critical part of the global response to the current mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries. Canada is committed to health security in Africa and vaccine equity, to ensure vaccines reach those who need them most.
The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, today announced that Canada will make available up to 200,000 doses of the Imvamune vaccine from Canada’s existing supply to support the global response to the mpox outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have appealed to donors to donate vaccine supplies to stem the spread of the mpox virus, emphasizing a critical need for countries with available stockpiles to make donations.
Canada’s international assistance efforts prioritize the production of vaccines closer to the people who need them the most. In June 2024, the Government of Canada announced an $85-million contribution for Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA). AVMA aims to contribute to a sustainable manufacturing base and improved pandemic and outbreak vaccine supply resilience in Africa.
Today’s announcement highlights Canada’s ongoing commitment to enhancing health security on the African continent and to stemming the spread of mpox.
“Vaccines save lives. With today’s announcement, Canada is demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that vaccines reach the people who need them most, especially in times of crisis. We’ll keep working closely with our African and multilateral partners to stop the spread of the mpox outbreak.” – Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development
“Canada is answering the WHO and Africa CDC’s call to help stop outbreaks of mpox through coordinated efforts with our partners. Our offer of up to 200,000 vaccine doses will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and help prevent further spread of the virus.” – Mark Holland, Minister of Health