Protecting at-risk populations from mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Africa.com
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the worst MPO outbreak in Africa, accounting for approximately 80% of the laboratory-confirmed cases and deaths reported on the continent this year. Although mpox is primarily spread through close physical contact, it can affect anyone. Vulnerable groups are at higher risk of infection and severe disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with national health authorities to implement targeted interventions to protect vulnerable groups. This includes training health workers, supporting disease surveillance and contact tracing, providing tailored risk communication and community engagement, providing medical supplies and case management, and strengthening vaccine delivery systems and infrastructure.
The most vulnerable people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo include the country’s 7 million internally displaced people and more than 500,000 refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom live in camps with limited access to water, sanitation and services. health services.
“The discovery of MPO cases in these settlements is concerning as high population density accelerates the spread of the virus. This means we are strengthening public health measures, such as increasing access to health services and sanitation facilities in these areas, to prevent the spread of MPOX, ” said Dr. Bachir Mbodj, WHO MPOX incident manager in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As the Democratic Republic of the Congo faces multiple overlapping crises, including conflict and malnutrition, integrating public health measures into broader humanitarian efforts remains a priority. As part of the wider humanitarian response, WHO is working with partners such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Alima, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to ensure that refugees and internally displaced people continue to Access to basic health care camps.
“By combining WHO’s technical expertise and IOM’s proficiency in border control, we are able to limit the cross-border spread of MPOX and protect communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries,” the IOM’s National Migration Health Bureau stated. Dr. Pol Brehm said DRC officials.
At least 60 IOM staff have been trained in disease surveillance and measles case management, and treatment and isolation facilities have been established at points of entry into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Meanwhile, WHO has deployed 18 doctors to North Kivu to support vaccination and other medical interventions, in addition to supporting dozens of people.
In North Kivu province, home to 2.5 million internally displaced persons, WHO has established three permanent health centers near internally displaced persons camps with the capacity to treat up to 2,000 people per week, including 23 temporary health facilities within the camps and 4 isolation facilities. A similar initiative has been launched in South Kivu, with more than 1,800 people vaccinated in camps for internally displaced persons across the country.
WHO is also providing technical and financial support to the national HIV/AIDS plan in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, using its reach within communities to support sex workers who are also vulnerable to measles. Sex workers make up approximately 3% of the female population aged 15 to 49 years. Support for this group includes screening, provision of treatment and follow-up care.
In the provinces of North and South Kivu, the National HIV/AIDS Control Program trained leaders of sex worker associations and other high-risk groups, such as men who have sex with men, to become measles peer educators. Another 120 people will be trained in the capital, Kinshasa. For each session with a trained peer educator, an estimated 80 people are exposed and receive important information about prevention and the benefits of measles vaccination. To date, approximately 16% of measles vaccine recipients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are sex workers.
“Involving these leaders in our efforts helps raise awareness because they are trusted by the communities they represent and have proven themselves to be powerful communicators of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections,” the said Dr. Clotilde Melisa Inaka Boolu, MPOX focal point for the programme. “Information now includes information about MPOX, which will not only protect sex workers, but also their clients and communities.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa.
