The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has declared a public health emergency over a growing Mpox outbreak on the continent.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya announced the news on Tuesday with a “heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, to our African citizens.”
The outbreak has swept through several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Mpox has now crossed borders, affecting thousands across our continent, families have been torn apart and the pain and suffering have touched every corner of our continent,” he said during an online briefing.
He said the declaration is not merely a formality, it is clarion to action. “It is a recognition we can no longer afford to be reactive,” he said.
“We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat.”
Mpox is transmitted through close contact, causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, rashes, blisters, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
It can be fatal and children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable.
Last week the African Union announced to grant of $10.4 million to help tackle the health menace which has been in a number of African countries.
The Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the AU last Wednesday made an emergency approval of the grant from the existing COVID funds for the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to support ongoing efforts to combat the Mpox outbreak across the continent.
From January to July 2024, 15,074 Mpox cases (2,853 confirmed; 12,221 suspected) and 461 deaths (a case fatality rate of 3.06 percent) have been reported across twelve (12) AU member states, the AU said in a statement.
This represents a 160 percent increase in cases and a 19 percent increase in deaths in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The AU said the funding released by the PRC will complement national efforts by African governments and support from various partners to strengthen five critical areas in the fight against Mpox.
The fund will be used to enhance Mpox surveillance and deployment surge capacity; boost laboratory testing and genomic sequencing capacity; strengthen regional and national data collection and analytics; enhance case management, infection prevention and control, and risk communication and community engagement, and improve access and delivery of vaccines, diagnostics, and supplies across the continent.
MG/as/APA