In August 2024, both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared Mpox a public health emergency, responding to the rapid spread of the disease across Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to the emergence of a new Mpox strain in the DRC and its spread to countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. More than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths have been reported in 2024 alone, with experts warning of a potentially higher number of unreported cases. WHO is now mobilizing US$ 15 million for surveillance, vaccine access, and outbreak containment.
Similarly, Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the agency’s first-ever emergency declaration. The move aims to coordinate and support African nations in curbing the virus by boosting surveillance, laboratory testing, and equitable vaccine distribution. Africa CDC's partnership with the European Commission and Bavarian Nordic will bring over 215,000 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine to affected countries.
Both organizations stress the importance of a unified global response, with Africa CDC calling for international solidarity to prevent further escalation of the crisis. Read more WHO and Africa CDC.