A new global stockpile of mpox vaccines, funded by Gavi and managed by international partners, aims to ensure equitable access for countries responding to outbreaks.
Key facts
- •The new mpox vaccine stockpile is scheduled to begin operations in late August 2026.
- •Between January 2022 and July 2026, there were 190,683 confirmed mpox cases and 529 deaths reported globally.
- •The African Region accounts for two-thirds of all reported mpox cases worldwide.
- •The ICG on Vaccine Provision manages the stockpile, with partners including the WHO, UNICEF, MSF, and the IFRC.
- •The initiative is designed to prevent the disparities in vaccine access that occurred during the 2022 mpox outbreak.
A global initiative to establish a permanent stockpile of mpox vaccines was launched on August 27, 2026. The resource, which is set to begin operations later this month, was approved by the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in 2025 to provide countries with timely and equitable access to vaccines during outbreak responses.
By the numbers
Coordination and Funding Structure
The vaccine stockpile is funded by Gavi and coordinated by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision. The ICG is a partnership comprising the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). This initiative expands upon the Access and Allocation Mechanism that was originally established in 2024 during a previous mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Global Health Context and Need
Mpox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close physical contact, though animal-to-human transmission remains a factor in parts of Africa. Between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2026, 145 countries and territories reported a total of 190,683 confirmed cases and 529 deaths. Two-thirds of these reported cases occurred within the African Region. The disease poses a particular risk of severe illness to children and individuals with suppressed immune systems. Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, noted that lower-income countries faced significant barriers to vaccine access during the 2022 outbreak. The new stockpile is intended to ensure that vaccine access is not determined by a country's ability to pay. Gavi previously supported the 2024 international response by securing doses through its First Response Fund.
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