Africa CDC Secures $1 Billion Commitment to Combat Mpox Outbreak, Urges Enhanced Surveillance and Vaccination Efforts
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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced that governments and donors have committed approximately one billion dollars to address the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa. The United States has pledged five million dollars as part of this commitment.
During a media briefing on Friday, Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgent need for enhanced monitoring and understanding of the virus’s transmission. He pointed out that the continent’s response is hindered by significant challenges, including inadequate surveillance, limited testing, and insufficient contact tracing.
Kaseya noted that fewer than four percent of contacts are currently being traced, which complicates efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), announced that Africa CDC is collaborating with the World Health Organization to coordinate the continent’s response to the mpox outbreak. Plans are underway to meet with U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra to discuss the allocation of pledged U.S. funds.
According to the White House, the $5 million commitment will support crucial areas, including training frontline health workers and strengthening disease surveillance. The funding will also enhance laboratory diagnostic supplies, improve clinical case management, bolster risk communication, and support research efforts.
Dr. Jean Kaseya highlighted that, in addition to financial commitments, vaccine donations for the mpox outbreak have reached 4.3 million doses. Notably, Japan has pledged three million doses to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the outbreak, while the U.S. recently committed one million doses. Despite these contributions, vaccine distribution remains sluggish, with only a small portion of the doses arriving in Africa.
Kaseya noted that the DRC plans to initiate its vaccination campaign soon, but logistical challenges, including poor infrastructure and ongoing armed conflicts, are expected to hinder these efforts. He also expressed concern about potential cross-border transmission, particularly via truck drivers, who have historically played a role in spreading diseases like HIV across the continent.
Uganda, which has reported 212 suspected mpox cases, is considered a critical area of concern due to its high levels of cross-border movement. Meanwhile, the absence of reported cases in Tanzania raises questions, as the country is close to affected regions and may not be entirely mpox-free.
To enhance surveillance efforts, Kaseya called for an increase in community health workers, with plans to deploy 40,000 community networkers in the DRC.
Dr. Jean Kaseya stated that the international focus on Mpox Clade II, which is prevalent in Europe and the U.S., has resulted in Clade I, commonly found in Africa, being significantly under-researched. He emphasized the need for greater attention to Clade I to effectively address the ongoing outbreak on the continent.
Dr. Jean Kaseya warned that Clade I of the Mpox virus has mutated into the more infectious and deadly Clade Ib, for which no rapid diagnostic test currently exists. He stressed the urgent need to address research gaps, stating, “We do not have a full understanding of the epidemiology of Mpox and the transmission dynamics.”
Kaseya highlighted immediate priorities, including enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, and laboratory testing. He noted that only half of suspected cases are being tested, with about 40 percent returning positive results, a situation complicated by poor specimen quality and limited training of healthcare personnel.
Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, Africa CDC’s Chief of Staff, added that priority groups for vaccination include healthcare workers, close contacts of confirmed cases, and key populations. These groups encompass commercial sex workers, men who have sex with men, children, and individuals with weakened immune systems, including those living with HIV.
Dr. Jean Kaseya reported significant challenges in tracking Mpox cases due to weak contact tracing, with health workers managing to trace only about 3 percent of contacts. He noted that community health workers have not been fully integrated into the response, which has further weakened efforts to monitor the virus’s spread.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), 15 African countries have reported Mpox cases this year, while an additional 15 are considered vulnerable. In the past week, there were 2,910 new cases reported, but only 436 were confirmed due to inadequate laboratory capacity.
Since the beginning of the year, over 32,000 suspected cases have been recorded, with fewer than one-fifth confirmed. This situation highlights serious weaknesses in the continent’s surveillance and testing infrastructure. While Mpox has been endemic to Central and West Africa for decades, the current outbreak has raised significant concerns.
The apparent spread of Clade Ib through various forms of sexual and close physical contact has resulted in the infection and death of hundreds of children.
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