Colombia To Receive 5 600 Monkeypox Vaccines in the Coming Days

The Colombian Minister of Health, Carolina Corcho, announced 5 600 vaccines against monkeypox would arrive in the next few days, to be applied to those who were in close contact with people positive for the virus.

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The Health Minister said, "The vaccine exists, and it is 100% effective in preventing death and 80% effective in preventing hospitalization, but at the moment, it has a monopolistic and scarce production in the world."

The 5 600 vaccines that will arrive in Colombia are part of an effort by the Pan American Health Organization, which acquired 100 000 doses for distribution to all Latin American countries.

Regarding prices, Corcho warned of the demanding confidentiality clauses with international pharmaceutical companies on non-disclosure of costs. "We will appeal to the precautionary principle and strategic reserve to accept confidentiality clauses," the minister said. 

The first batch of vaccines to combat monkeypox will arrive in Colombia, as announced by the Minister of Health Carolina Corcho; each dose is 100% effective in preventing the death of the infected person and more than 80% in avoiding being hospitalized if found positive.

Faced with the global shortage of medicines, Colombia will strengthen domestic production, Corcho said, adding that the country will aim at implementing a purchase or exchange mechanism between Latin American countries or ensuring a faster entry of vital medicines through regulation of the National Institute for Drug and Food Surveillance (Invima).

Cases of monkeypox have been reported in 13 Colombian departments. So far, there are 273 confirmed cases, of which 227 are registered in the capital Bogota, 14 in Antioquia, and 6 in Tolima, according to the August 22 report of the National Institute of Health (INS).