Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo launched their first mpox vaccination campaign on Saturday, marking a significant milestone in the fight against an outbreak that has extended beyond its epicenter in the country to various African nations. The vaccination ceremony took place at a hospital in Goma, with healthcare workers being the first to receive the vaccine doses.
However, the Health Ministry cautioned that the scope of the vaccination campaign would be limited due to constrained resources. Currently, there are 265,000 vaccine doses available, with additional doses expected to arrive in the near future. This initial rollout addresses a critical gap that left many African countries without access to the vaccines that were readily available in Europe and the United States during a global mpox outbreak in 2022.
Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s Africa director, emphasized the importance of this vaccination effort in her statement, noting that it represents a crucial step in curtailing the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities. Mpox, which can spread through close contact, typically presents mild symptoms; however, it can be fatal in rare cases. The disease is characterized by flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.
In August, the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after identifying a new variant. Since the beginning of 2024, Congo has reported over 30,000 suspected and confirmed cases of mpox, accounting for an alarming 90% of the cases reported across Africa this year. With 990 deaths linked to the outbreak thus far, the urgency for vaccination and containment measures has never been greater.
As the campaign unfolds, health officials remain focused on securing additional resources and support to expand vaccination efforts and mitigate the impact of this health crisis.
