- 11/11/2024 4:53:37 PM
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In a crucial move to combat the escalating outbreak of mpox, Congolese authorities have initiated a vaccination campaign in Goma, nearly two months after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global emergency. This decisive step comes as the nation grapples with an alarming surge of suspected cases and deaths.
On Saturday, Goma, located in North Kivu province, witnessed the rollout of 265,000 vaccine doses generously donated by the European Union and the United States. This initiative is aimed at bolstering the healthcare system, which has been severely strained in the face of this new and potentially more contagious strain of the virus.
Historically, mpox, also known as monkeypox, has spread largely unnoticed in Africa. The 2022 global outbreak triggered a rapid response from wealthier nations, which mobilized their vaccine stockpiles while African countries faced delays and shortages. Dr. Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO’s mpox emergency committee, highlighted that unlike the previous outbreak, the current spread in Africa involves not only sexual transmission but also close contact among vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women.
Despite the increasing number of cases—over 34,000 suspected and 866 deaths across 16 African nations this year—the continent with a population of 1.4 billion people has secured only 5.9 million doses of mpox vaccines for the upcoming months. Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa CDC, emphasized Congo as a priority in this effort.
At the vaccination site in Goma, concerns mount over the potential for a major outbreak due to conditions in displacement camps, where close living quarters have been linked to increased transmission risks. Dr. Jean Bruno Kibunda, a WHO representative, articulated the urgency of the situation, warning that the region's humanitarian crisis could exacerbate the outbreak.
The news of the vaccination initiative has provided a glimmer of hope for hospitals that have been struggling to manage the growing crisis. "If everyone could be vaccinated, it would be even better to stop the spread of the disease," stated Dr. Musole Mulambamunva Robert, medical director of Kavumu Hospital, one of the key treatment centers in eastern Congo.
Eastern Congo has been plagued by conflict, with numerous armed groups competing for control in the mineral-rich region near the Rwandan border. This instability complicates vaccine distribution and the public health response, but the launch of the vaccination drive marks a pivotal moment in the battle against mpox.
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