The global vaccine alliance Gavi says it will buy 500,000 doses of vaccine against mpox to fight outbreaks of the disease in African countries.

The global vaccine group Gavi will buy 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine, its first purchase of the shot to help battle an outbreak in parts of Africa, the group said on Wednesday.

The Vaccine Alliance, Gavi and Bavarian Nordic on Wednesday announced an Advance Purchase Agreement to secure 500,000 doses of the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) mpox vaccine, which will be supplied to countries in Africa affected by the mpox outbreak.