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The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that it had given approval for Bavarian vaccine against Scandinavian monkeypox BAVA.COthe first shot of its type approved by the agency to curb the spread of the disease in hard-hit African countries.

The approval, known as prequalification, paves the way for access to the vaccine for developing countries, many of which lack the technology and resources to conduct rigorous testing of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness.

The current outbreak began in early 2023 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where most of the 37,500 cases and 1,451 deaths have occurred as of July 28. It has spread to 15 African countries, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This first prequalification of a monkeypox vaccine is an important step in our fight against this disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa and in the future,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

WHO prequalification means that a medicine is of good quality, safe and effective. UN agencies also rely on this process before purchasing medical products.

Monkeypox, a viral infection that is spread through intimate contact and is usually mild but can be fatal, was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO last month.

The first vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin in early October in Congo using 265,000 donated vaccines.