The Democratic Republic of Congo has officially launched its vaccination campaign to combat the mpox virus, beginning with healthcare workers in the eastern city of Goma. After experiencing a delay due to logistical hurdles, the program kicked off on Saturday, with plans to expand the rollout to the general public in the coming days.
The epidemic, which has been affecting the region for over a year, has prompted significant concerns due to the rising case count and fatalities. Medical personnel were prioritized for the first wave of vaccines, with broader inoculation efforts scheduled to follow.
Dr. Jeannine Muhavi, a frontline doctor, was one of the first to be vaccinated, saying, “As a doctor constantly in contact with patients, it’s vital for me to protect myself.”
The vaccination tents, established by health authorities and NGOs, were prominently displayed with banners emphasizing, “mpox exists,” as part of an effort to raise public awareness and encourage vaccination.
So far, the DRC has received 265,000 doses of the mpox vaccine, sourced from international donors including the United States and the European Union. Despite these contributions, the country still awaits millions of additional doses promised by France, Japan, and the U.S., which are necessary to meet the growing demand.
Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba addressed the pressing nature of the situation, revealing that more than 30,000 cases have been recorded in 2024, alongside nearly 1,000 deaths. Tragically, 70% of those deaths were children under the age of five. He emphasized that the vaccination strategy would focus on the most vulnerable populations rather than the entire nation. “With 265,000 doses for a country of 100 million, we have to prioritize those most at risk,” Kamba said during a press briefing in Kinshasa.
The vaccines currently being distributed, produced by Bavarian Nordic, are formulated for adults. However, the government is engaged in negotiations with Japan to secure additional vaccines suitable for children as well. Japan has pledged to send three million doses in the near future.
In the international arena, U.S. President Joe Biden has expressed his commitment to aiding African nations in their fight against the virus. During a recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Biden announced plans to donate one million doses of the mpox vaccine to the continent and allocate $500 million to bolster African countries’ prevention and response efforts.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved a new diagnostic test for mpox, designed to detect the virus from lesion swabs. Although the WHO has committed to supplying 4,500 test kits to the DRC, the distribution timeline remains unclear.
First discovered in the 1950s, mpox was initially identified in research monkeys. It later jumped to humans in 1970, with the DRC reporting the first human case. The virus, which causes fever, fatigue, and a distinctive rash, can be severe or even deadly, particularly for young children.
The DRC is not the only African nation grappling with the virus; mpox has been reported in 16 African countries this year. While efforts to control the virus continue globally, the DRC remains at the heart of this fight, with the current outbreak drawing increased international attention since the mpox virus spread globally in 2022.
