The latest surge of mpox cases in Africa has caused the WHO (World Health Organization) and the Africa CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to introduce an extensive response plan. With more than 5,500 confirmed cases and 643 deaths reported in 12 countries in early 2024, the outbreak has grown into a public health emergency. Many of the cases are concentrated in the DR Congo, where mpox is spreading, especially among children under 15. However, the new response plan, with a budget of $600 million, is intended to mitigate the outbreak via improved surveillance, laboratory testing, and community engagement. The focus on vaccines alone is inadequate to halt the outbreak, based on Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya. The organization emphasized the benefits of fundamental health measures and public awareness plus the deployment of vaccines, which are essential in safeguarding vulnerable healthcare workers and populations.

Vaccine Distribution and Challenges

Meanwhile, the arrival of about 200,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine in Congo demonstrates a great step, though it is just a fraction of the 3 million doses required. Distributed via the European Union's HERA, these vaccines are being allocated majorly to adults in high-risk groups like close contacts of infected people and sex workers. Although Congo has given emergency approval for the vaccines, the vaccination campaign’s full rollout has yet to start; this shows logistical hurdles in addressing the problem. In fact, the response plan's time frame is uncertain, particularly with respect to vaccinating children. The European Medicines Agency is presently evaluating the vaccine for usage in children aged 12- 17, but further delays can impede progress and efforts in controlling the outbreak. However, public health organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, highlight the need for a multi-faceted strategy that integrates vaccinations with preventive health methods in under-resourced regions of Congo.

A Global Health Concern

It is good to add that the mpox outbreak has drawn global attention, and the response from global health agencies marks a coordinated initiative to address the problem. While the vaccine rollout is essential, health authorities caution that it is only one part of the solution. More significant progress will need community engagement, enhanced healthcare infrastructure, and constant gauge of the outbreak’s evolution. As HERA Director-General Laurent Muschel stated, the approach will evolve as new data emerge from the vaccination campaign while reflecting the adaptive nature of public health responses to such crises.

Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. It can be transmitted via close contact with an individual with it, a contaminated material ()s, or an infected animal.

Reference

Associated Press. (2024). WHO and Africa CDC Launch a Response Plan to the Mpox Outbreak. US News. Available at- https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2024-09-06/who-and-africa-cdc-launch-a-response-plan-to-the-mpox-outbreak

(Accessed: 10 September 2024)

WHO. (2024). Mpox. Available at- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mpox

(Accessed: 10 September 2024)