In a significant move to contain the mpox outbreak spreading across African nations, Congolese health officials launched their first vaccination campaign on Saturday.
The campaign kicked off with a ceremony at a hospital in the eastern city of Goma, where frontline health workers were the first to receive the available vaccine doses.
Despite the critical need, the Health Ministry cautioned that the campaign's reach would initially be limited, with 265,000 vaccine doses currently on hand and more expected to arrive in the near future.
This vaccination drive aims to address the stark inequity experienced during the 2022 mpox outbreak when African countries struggled to access the two essential vaccine shots, which were readily available in Europe and the United States.
\"The rollout of the vaccine marks an important step in limiting the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities,\" stated Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Mpox, a disease that can spread through close contact, typically presents mild flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, though it can be fatal in rare cases.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in August after a new variant was identified.
Since the beginning of 2024, Congo has reported over 30,000 suspected and confirmed mpox cases and 990 deaths, accounting for 90 percent of Africa's reported cases this year, according to WHO data.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
