A deadly new variant of the mpox virus has been spreading in central Africa for a year, causing over 20,000 cases and 500 deaths, mainly affecting children. The World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency, highlighting the lack of access to vaccines in African countries. Western governments have hoarded vaccines, pricing them out of reach for many African nations. Only recently have donations of vaccines started to arrive in Africa.
Two companies, KM Biologics and Bavarian Nordic, produce mpox vaccines, with Bavarian Nordic charging $200 per dose, which is unaffordable for African countries. US group Public Citizen accuses them of profiting off the crisis. Calls are growing for these companies to share their technology with low and middle-income countries to increase supply and lower costs.
The larger issue is the systemic inequality that values profit over human life, with rich countries and pharmaceutical companies prioritizing profits over saving lives in low-income countries. The DRC, rich in resources, remains impoverished due to exploitation by Western countries over centuries. The current crisis highlights the urgent need for a fairer global health system that prioritizes human life over profit.
Efforts are needed to ensure equitable access to vaccines, transfer technology to local manufacturers, treat patients, and address the root causes of global inequality and exploitation. Failure to address these systemic issues will not only perpetuate injustice but also lead to new and dangerous epidemics. It is time to prioritize human life and global health over profit and power.
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