Africa’s Progress in Tackling Mpox: A Year of Coordinated Action 

According to WHO, since one year after the World Health Organization classified mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, African nations have made notable strides in controlling the virus. Through unified efforts involving national governments, WHO, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), local communities, and global partners, the continent has strengthened its public health response.

Mpox in Numbers

• 28 countries affected across Africa
• 174,000+ suspected cases and nearly 50,000 confirmed cases
• 240 deaths reported
• 3 million vaccine doses delivered
• 951,000 doses administered
• 900,000 individuals received at least one dose

Encouragingly, the past six weeks have seen a 34.5% drop in confirmed cases compared to the previous period. Countries like Côte d’Ivoire have successfully halted transmission, reporting no new cases for over 42 days. Angola, Gabon, Mauritius, and Zimbabwe have also gone more than 90 days without new infections.

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Key Strategies Driving Success

Dr. Patrick Otim of WHO’s Regional Office for Africa emphasized the importance of maintaining effective interventions:

“Rapid case detection, targeted vaccination, robust lab systems, and active community engagement are essential to sustaining progress.”

WHO and Africa CDC have jointly developed a continental Mpox Preparedness and Response Plan, executed through a unified Incident Management Support Team. Professor Yap Boum of Africa CDC praised the collaboration:

“Strong African leadership and efficient use of limited resources are vital. Working as one team with a shared plan and budget ensures impact.”

Remaining Challenges to the mpox Fight

Despite progress, several hurdles remain:

• Limited vaccine availability
• Competing health emergencies
• Funding shortfalls
• Barriers to care and persistent stigma
• Conflict zones, especially in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, disrupting response efforts

Looking Ahead

WHO’s priorities for the next six months include:

• Expanding community-based surveillance in high-risk areas
• Distributing essential supplies to outbreak hotspots
• Integrating mpox response into broader health programs
• Continuing targeted vaccination campaigns
• Advocating for increased funding to support vaccine deployment

As Africa continues to battle mpox, the lessons learned and systems strengthened over the past year offer a blueprint for future outbreak responses. Source.