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Claim: A Facebook post by Wise Blog SL claimed that PegaPak Gin can prevent Mpox.
Verdict: False! There is no scientific evidence to support the claim.
Full Text
In January 2025, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency.
Since then, the country has been vastly reeling from Mpox, making up 58.2% of all cases in Africa as of the earliest weeks of May, according to CIDRAP.
The National Public Health Agency said recently that the virus has affected all 16 districts.
A post by WISE BLOG SL claimed that PegaPak gin can prevent Mpox since the Mpox vaccines are not enough for the number of people affected by the disease.
The post reads in Krio: “According to the health People, the Mpox Vaccine is not enough for the number of cases we are getting. Prevention is better than a cure. Just go dae drink this [Pegapak Gin], and you are good to go.”
However, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation recently reported receiving 61,300 MVA-BN Mpox vaccine to boost the country’s response to the Mpox outbreak.
Similar claims related to Pegapak Gin were also found here, here, and here on Facebook.
Due to the sensitivity of the claim, DUBAWA decided to fact-check it..
Verification
DUBAWA contacted a medical doctor, Joseph Nanoh, in Sierra Leone via Facebook. He confirmed that PegaPak Gin cannot cure or prevent Mpox.
He stated, “It cannot,” when asked if PegaPak Gin can cure or prevent Mpox.
Although his reply was short, DUBAWA conducted further research to verify the claim.
Conducting a Google keyword search, we found that PegaPak Gin is a distilled 40% alcoholic drink with a flavour derived from Juniper berries.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines against Mpox are recommended, but PegaPak Gin is not one of them.
Currently, the WHO recommends using MVA-BN or L16 vaccines for people at risk during an outbreak of Mpox, while ACAM200 may also be used for certain people, depending on individual assessment.
The JYNNEOS is also a 2-dose vaccine developed to protect against Mpox and smallpox, recommended by the WHO.
Our findings also revealed that Mpox is a preventable infectious disease, but cannot be prevented by PegaPak Gin.
Conclusion
There is no scientific evidence that PegaPak Gin can prevent or cure Mpox.
