IFRC Increases Response To Face Spike In Mpox Cases In Africa

JAKARTA - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Associations (IFRC) stated that it was increasing its response in dealing with the surge inmpox cases across Africa.

The IFRC is at the forefront of tackling the outbreak of thempox in Africa, with extensive experience in dealing with previous disease outbreaks, such as Ebola and COVID-19, the agency said in a statement citing Antara.

This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) declaredmpex a public health emergency of international and continental concern.

The IFRC with a wide network of more than 4 million volunteers and 14,000 staff across the continent said it provided important support to the government, including community-based surveillance, risk communication and community involvement, as well as mental health services.

"The high spike in the Mpox case in Africa is very worrying and a serious public health problem. This is not just a local case; it has become a threat to the continent that requires immediate and coordinated action," said IFRC Regional Director Mohammed Omer Mukhier in a statement.

According to Mukhier, the IFRC has been working with local teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo since last year in support of the people affected by thempox.

"But now there is more to be done, through close cooperation with the Mobilized Ministry of Health, along with developments and the rapid expansion of the situation across the continent," continued Mukhier.

According to the latest CDC Africa data, 17,541 cases ofmpox have been reported in 12 countries on the continent in 2024 including 517 deaths.

The epidemic has been reported in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Other countries that reported the case were Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The virus has also been detected on Ivory Coast and Liberia.

CDC Africa said this number increased 160 percent by the end of July, compared to the same period the previous year.

Congo reported the highest number of cases, accounting for 96 percent of all reported cases and 97 percent of deaths.

The IFRC calls for global support further to stem this epidemic through increased access to testing, treatment, and vaccines for risky populations across the continent, along with ongoing community-based measures, which increase the effectiveness of epidemic response measures.

Senior IFRC officials for Public Health in a State of Emergency Bronwyn Nichol, said thempox epidemic is a reminder that the virus knows no national boundaries.

Lack of testing, treatment, and vaccines requires a coordinated global response, including increasing access to vaccine stocks in Africa. An integrated effort is critical to protecting vulnerable populations from unnecessary suffering and deaths," he said.