Trump admin squanders nearly 800,000 vaccines meant for Africa: Report

A concerning report reveals that close to 800,000 doses of the mpox vaccine, originally pledged to African nations grappling with severe outbreaks, are now on the verge of being wasted due to delays in shipping. This situation was highlighted by Politico, which noted that these doses were part of a commitment made during the Biden administration to supply over 1 million vaccines. To combat the health crisis, the United States, alongside the European Union and Japan, had vowed to collectively deliver 5 million doses to nearly a dozen African countries. However, the U.S. has only managed to send out 91,000 doses so far, with just 220,000 remaining viable for distribution. The remainder are set to expire within six months, rendering them unsuitable for shipment. Yap Boum, a deputy incident manager at the Africa CDC, explained the logistical challenges, stating, "For a vaccine to be shipped to a country, we need a minimum of six months before expiration to ensure that the vaccine can arrive in good condition and also allow the country to implement the vaccination." The delays in shipment have been attributed to significant cuts to foreign aid programs under the Trump administration, including the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which was responsible for administering these crucial aid initiatives.