The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched its first vaccination campaign against mpox in the eastern city of Goma, targeting health workers and those with existing health issues. The campaign began with hospital staff receiving the vaccine, with plans to expand to the wider population starting on Monday. The country faces limitations in resources, with only 265,000 doses currently available.
The Health Minister emphasized that while the available doses are not sufficient to cover the entire population of 100 million, the aim is to prioritize high-risk groups to limit the spread of the virus. More doses are expected to arrive from France, Japan, and the United States, with President Joe Biden planning to donate one million doses to African nations.
Since the beginning of 2024, the DRC has reported over 30,000 suspected and confirmed cases of mpox, with 900 deaths. The virus can spread through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. The WHO declared mpox a public health emergency last August due to a new, more infectious variant.
Mpox has been detected in 16 African countries this year, prompting the WHO to approve a PCR test for detecting the virus through skin lesions. The DRC is in need of additional tests, with the WHO pledging 4,500 but without providing an arrival date. The vaccine campaign is seen as a crucial step in controlling the spread of mpox and ensuring the safety of communities.
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