The African continent is on the verge of declaring a Public Health Emergency for Continental Security (PHECS) as the Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak continues to spread across many countries.
Director-General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Jean Kaseya, made the remarks during a webinar on Thursday on the situation of the Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It is similar to smallpox, although generally less severe.
Mpox is characterized by symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
The disease can spread from animals to humans and between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health agencies changed the name of monkeypox to “Mpox” in 2022 to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with the original name.
Headquarters of the World Health Organization
Mr Kaseya stressed the urgent need for a coordinated response to contain the disease.
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“Mpox is the reality and Africans are dying.
“We are taking decisive action to protect our people. Next week, we will most likely declare PHECS,” he said.
According to him, the measure is expected to mobilize resources, expedite cross-border responses and strengthen the continent's health systems against the outbreak.
He also stressed the importance of involving the continent's youth in the fight against the outbreak.
He said the PHECS statement would draw on guidance from health experts and political leaders across Africa to ensure a unified and effective approach to the outbreak.
“This call for youth participation is vital to harness their energy and innovation in the fight against the spread of the virus.
“This will help us to have an adequate response, to help stop this outbreak and also to strengthen the health system in Africa,” Kaseya said.
He said the Africa CDC had been at the forefront of monitoring and responding to the Mpox outbreak, which has caused great concern due to its rapid spread and rising death toll.
“Public health officials have warned that if urgent action is not taken, the situation could worsen and put even more lives at risk.
“As the continent prepares for the official declaration of PHECS, there is a growing sense of urgency to contain the outbreak.
“The declaration is expected to facilitate the rapid deployment of medical supplies, improve the sharing of critical information and enhance the overall resilience of public health systems across Africa.
“The global community is closely following these developments, recognizing that Africa’s response to the Mpox outbreak will have far-reaching implications for public health security both on the continent and around the world,” he said.
He said that as Mpox cases rose across Africa, with all five regions and 16 countries currently affected, the continent faced a major public health challenge.
Since January 2022, Africa has recorded 38,465 Mpox cases and 1,456 deaths, with a 160% increase in cases in 2024 compared to 2023.
According to Mr. Kaseya, the disease has spread through cross-border transmission, sexual contact and comorbidities, particularly in regions with vulnerable populations, such as those suffering from malnutrition or HIV.
“The outbreak has reached new countries such as Ivory Coast, Kenya and Uganda, where the first cases have been reported,” he said.
Speaking on the case study of affected countries, Mr. Kaseya said that the Ministry of Health in Côte d'Ivoire declared its first outbreak of Mpox, which affected a 46-year-old agricultural worker.
He said a 20-year-old student was also found to have contracted the disease, adding that both are from Abidjan.
“The mode of exposure remains unclear and the circulating clade remains to be identified.
“In Kenya, a 42-year-old long-haul truck driver was identified as the first case of Mpox at the Taita Taveta entry point on the Kenya-Tanzania border.
“In Uganda, two female cases were reported in Kasese district, both imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),” he explained.
Mr Kaseya said Mpox posed a high risk due to its 3.2 per cent case fatality rate, with children under 15 being the most affected demographically.
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NAN recalls that on July 17, the Executive Council of the African Union approved a statute allowing the Africa CDC to make independent decisions on public health matters.
This move followed the WHO's declaration on 23 July 2022 of monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), despite Africa having been battling the disease since the 1970s.
(YAYA)