Stakeholders Commit $1 Billion to Fight Mpox in Africa

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that governments and donors have committed around one billion dollars to address Africa’s ongoing mpox outbreak, with the United States contributing five million dollars.

During a media briefing on Friday, Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgent need for better monitoring and understanding of the virus’s transmission.

He pointed out that the continent’s response is hampered by poor surveillance, inadequate testing, and limited contact tracing, noting that less than four percent of contacts are currently being traced, which complicates efforts to control the outbreak.

“Africa CDC and the World Health Organization are coordinating the continental response, with plans to meet U.S Health Secretary, Xavier Becerra, to discuss how the pledged U.S. funds will be allocated.

“According to the White House, the funds will support essential areas such as training frontline health workers, and strengthening disease surveillance.

“It will also help in improving laboratory diagnostic supplies, clinical case management, risk communication, and research,” he said.

He noted that, in addition to the financial pledges, vaccine donations have reached 4.3 million doses, with Japan committing three million doses to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the outbreak’s epicenter.

The U.S. also pledged one million doses this week; however, vaccine distribution remains slow, with only a small fraction arriving on the continent.