In its largest air cargo cargo to the African area this yr, World Well being Group (WHO) at present delivered 33.5 metric tonnes of emergency medical provides and gear to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to bolster mpox outbreak response.
As we speak’s supply follows an preliminary cargo of greater than 14 metric tonnes of emergency provides to the nation two weeks in the past to assist an infection prevention and management, and scientific care measures within the ongoing outbreak. The 2 shipments will contribute considerably to an infection prevention and therapy companies within the nation for the following three months.
Along with reinforcing the mpox outbreak response, the medical gear and provides will even be delivered to laboratories in addition to district and referral well being services to offer take care of different medical circumstances.
“We’re intensifying our assist to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in all vital areas of the mpox outbreak response, making certain ample testing, prevention and efficient scientific care to cease the unfold of this virus,” mentioned Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “We’re grateful to our companions for the necessary collaboration in strengthening the continued nationwide efforts to deliver this outbreak to an finish.”
The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for about 90% of the greater than 31 000 suspected mpox instances reported to date this yr from 14 nations within the African area. WHO is working intently with companions and the federal government to reinforce capability, experience and outbreak response measures.
The unfold of mpox within the Democratic Republic of the Congo is attributed to 2 distinct important outbreaks: the unfold of mpox clade Ia within the western Equateur and different provinces of the nation the place the illness is endemic, together with unfold to and outbreaks within the capital Kinshasa; and the unfold of clade Ib in North and South Kivu provinces within the east, with just a few instances in Kinshasa.
As a part of elevated assist to the mpox outbreak response within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO is increasing its operational capability within the discipline, with greater than 300 illness surveillance and outbreak response specialists from WHO’s polio response programme just lately built-in into mpox outbreak management efforts.
In collaboration with nationwide well being authorities and companions, WHO specialists are additionally working intently with communities to boost consciousness about mpox, promote preventive measures and encourage reporting of instances.
Efforts are additionally being ramped as much as strengthen nationwide diagnostic capacities by offering testing kits, reagents and machines to decentralize testing in eight laboratories. On 19 September 2024, WHO dispatched 3500 GeneXpert cartridges to provincial laboratories to make sure ample testing for efficient scientific care, due to assist from the US Company for Worldwide Growth.
In readiness for mpox vaccine rollout, WHO is working with nations to ramp up measures to make sure efficient introduction of the vaccines. WHO has developed an mpox vaccine roadmap and readiness instrument and is supporting nations to develop nationwide vaccine deployment plans that focus on these populations at highest threat.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Well being Group (WHO) – Democratic Republic of Congo.