A senior representative of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) stated on Wednesday that the continent has received less than 10% of the $245 million that it is expected to require to combat an mpox outbreak that is rapidly spreading.
The World Health Organization proclaimed the potentially fatal infection to be a global health emergency in mid-August, following the spread of a new strain from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to neighboring nations. As a result, pressure is mounting on the continent to contain the outbreak.
In order to ascertain the financial resources available for the mpox response and the resources it must mobilize, Africa CDC has put together a budget.
Africa CDC Chief of Staff Ngashi Ngongo stated, “We’ve come to the first estimate of $245 million,” at a WHO meeting in the Republic of Congo’s capital Brazzaville.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government has committed $10 million to support the fight against the outbreak, while the African Union has approved $10.4 million, Ngongo said.
He noted that, as a result, roughly $20 million is currently available for the response; however, these amounts will be revised.
“The current gap where we stand today is about $224 million that we are looking for,” he stated.
During the conference, Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya stated that the organization was working to obtain over a million doses of the mpox vaccine.
Among them are around 500,000 doses from Spain, 100,000 doses from France, and 215,000 doses from vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic (BAVA.CO), opens new tab.
Since the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the country most affected by the virus, there is currently no schedule for when the vaccines might arrive there.
Mpox is a virus that creates lesions filled with pus and symptoms similar to the flu symptoms. It is usually mild but can kill.
(Reuters)
