By Bunmi Yekini
As mpox cases continue to climb and the virus spreads across new regions of Africa and beyond, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have unveiled an updated Continental Response Plan aimed at curbing transmission, boosting vaccination efforts, and laying the groundwork for a long-term public health response.
The revised strategy, announced jointly by the two organizations, comes in response to the growing threat posed by clade Ib of the mpox virus, which has now been detected in 28 countries, including local transmission in at least ten African nations.
“This updated plan marks a pivotal step in shifting from crisis management to building a more sustainable, integrated response to mpox,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC. “Our goal is not only to control the current outbreaks but also to ensure our systems are better prepared for future threats.”
Mpox, a viral illness that causes painful skin lesions, fever, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes, has evolved from a zoonotic disease to one that increasingly spreads through close human contact. A major shift occurred in 2022 when clade IIb began spreading globally via sexual transmission. The emergence of clade Ib in late 2023 further heightened global concern.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of international cooperation. “The mpox emergency is a wake-up call. The world must stand in solidarity, especially with countries at the epicenter like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where communities are most at risk.”
To date, more than 650,000 vaccine doses have been administered in six countries, with over 90% of those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over one million doses have been delivered across ten African nations, and efforts are ongoing to increase global vaccine supply.
Significant strides have also been made in diagnostics, with laboratory capacity in the DRC expanding from just two facilities in 2023 to 23 labs across 12 provinces. Near-point-of-care testing is being introduced to further strengthen surveillance.
However, serious challenges persist. Armed conflict and instability in eastern DRC continue to hamper the response, and funding shortfalls threaten progress.
“We still face a gap of more than US$220 million to fully implement this response plan,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “This is not just about stopping an outbreak; it’s about investing in health systems that protect everyone, everywhere.”
The Continental Response Plan aligns with WHO’s updated global strategy to end human-to-human transmission of mpox. In the first two months of 2025 alone, 60 countries reported mpox cases, with the majority of infections and deaths occurring in Africa.
Africa CDC and WHO say they will continue working closely with governments, communities, and international partners to address the current outbreak and build resilience for the future.