The World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region has reported that despite high-level discussions and collaborative efforts, Africa is still struggling to contain the Mpox outbreak, which was declared a public health emergency of international concern last year.
Kenya and Uganda have been sharing data on truck operators and sex workers operating across the border to monitor infections, but officials caution that contact tracing remains challenging due to mobility issues and reluctance from some individuals to reveal their contacts.
In contrast, several African countries have made significant progress in controlling outbreaks, including Côte d’Ivoire, Angola, Gabon, Mauritius, and Zimbabwe. Testing coverage has also improved in the Democratic Republic of Congo, rising from under 20% to 65%.
However, despite these gains, the WHO Africa Region emphasizes that challenges persist, with more months expected to be needed to combat the disease. The global health regulator has deployed international experts, trained health workers, and provided essential medical supplies to affected countries.
As of this week, Kenya has reported 314 cases of Mpox, while Burundi, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda have reported higher numbers of cases. Officials stress that the fight against Mpox remains a serious public health challenge in Africa, with nearly 174,000 suspected cases and over 50,000 confirmed cases reported so far.
The WHO has also praised countries for their progress in vaccine deployment and vaccination efforts, with more than 3 million doses administered across the continent. However, officials caution that underreporting of cases still persists, and the fight against Mpox requires sustained efforts to overcome mobility challenges and ensure accurate contact tracing.
Source: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/africa/How-truck-drivers-sex-workers-drive-Mpox-across-borders-1996352