Combatting Mpox: Strategies to Safeguard At-Risk Populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mpox Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing the most severe mpox outbreak in Africa. This country has reported around 80% of the continent’s lab-confirmed cases and deaths this year. Mpox mainly spreads through close physical contact but can infect anyone. Vulnerable groups face a higher risk of infection and serious health issues.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is collaborating with national health authorities to implement effective interventions. These include training health workers, enhancing disease surveillance, facilitating contact tracing, and improving communication with communities. WHO is also providing medical supplies, case management, and advancing vaccine distribution.
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in DRC, numbering 7 million, face significant challenges. Additionally, over half a million refugees and asylum seekers often live in camps with limited access to water, sanitation, and health services. Dr. Bachir Mbodj, WHO’s mpox Incident Manager in DRC, noted that the high population density in these settlements can speed up virus transmission. Therefore, public health measures are being increased to improve health service access and sanitation.
Amid various crises, including conflict and malnutrition, integrating health actions with humanitarian efforts is crucial. WHO partners with organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Alima, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to maintain essential healthcare services in refugee and IDP camps.
Dr. Popol Bureme, IOM’s National Migration Health Officer, stated that combining WHO’s expertise with IOM’s skills in border control helps limit mpox’s spread. Sixty IOM staff members have received training in disease surveillance and mpox case management. Treatment and isolation facilities have been set up at entry points to DRC. In North Kivu, WHO has deployed 18 doctors to assist with vaccinations and care.
In North Kivu, home to 2.5 million IDPs, WHO has established three permanent health centers, treating up to 2,000 patients each week. They have also set up 23 temporary health facilities and four isolation sites in IDP camps. Similar health initiatives are occurring in South Kivu, where over 1,800 people have been vaccinated.
The National HIV/AIDS Control Programme has trained leaders from sex worker associations and other high-risk groups to act as mpox peer educators. An additional 120 individuals will receive training in Kinshasa. Each peer educator can reach about 80 people, spreading vital information about prevention and mpox vaccination. Currently, roughly 16% of vaccinated individuals in DRC are sex workers.
Dr. Clotilde Melisa Inaka Boolu, the program’s mpox focal point, emphasized that involving trusted community leaders enhances awareness about mpox. These leaders have previously shown effectiveness in communicating information on HIV/AIDS and STIs. By sharing messages about mpox, they can protect not only themselves but also their clients and communities.