Introduction

In a significant effort to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has initiated its first vaccination campaign in the eastern city of Goma, which has been severely affected by the virus.

Vaccination Campaign Details

This groundbreaking campaign began with the vaccination of healthcare workers on Saturday, with a broader rollout set to commence on Monday across the eastern regions of the country, where this outbreak originated in the previous year.

Challenges Ahead

However, the DRC's Ministry of Public Health has cautioned that the effectiveness of the vaccination drive may be limited due to inadequate resources, with only 265,000 doses available for a population of around 100 million people.

Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba emphasized the monumental challenge, stating, “As you can imagine, in a country of 100 million people, we’re not going to solve the problem with 265,000 doses.” The campaign is aimed at prioritizing vulnerable groups, including individuals with pre-existing health conditions and frontline healthcare personnel.

Future Supply of Vaccines

More promisingly, additional doses of the vaccine are anticipated to be shipped from France, Japan, and the United States, bolstering the DRC’s capacity to confront this health crisis.

Notably, last month, U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans to donate one million doses of the mpox vaccine to various African nations, an initiative that could significantly aid the DRC's vaccination efforts.

WHO's Support and Statistics

World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti highlighted the importance of the vaccine rollout, stating it is “an important step in limiting the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities.” The urgency of this campaign stems from alarming statistics—since the beginning of 2024, the DRC has reported over 30,000 suspected and confirmed mpox cases, with approximately 900 fatalities.

Understanding Mpox

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, can spread through close contact with infected individuals or animals, resulting in symptoms akin to flu and the appearance of pus-filled lesions.

The recent emergence of a new, more contagious variant named clade Ib has raised further concerns, prompting the WHO to declare mpox a public health emergency last August.

Regional Impact and Initiatives

The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports that mpox has been detected in 16 African countries this year alone.

In response to the outbreak, the WHO announced Friday that it had approved a PCR test that detects mpox through skin lesion samples, enhancing diagnostic capabilities in the region.

Support from WHO

Minister Kamba also mentioned that the WHO has pledged 4,500 tests for the DRC, although the timeline for their delivery remains unclear. The spotlight now remains on both local and international efforts to curb this outbreak and prevent further loss of life as the DRC strives to safeguard its communities against the mpox virus.