In a recent comment published in The Lancet, Ibrahim Abubakar and colleagues stress the importance of African leadership in effectively responding to the ongoing mpox outbreak
The ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa, which has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), is affecting multiple African countries. The majority of cases and deaths have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), many among children.
Much remains to learn about mpox and how it spreads, but three clades of the virus are currently circulating in Africa. Clade Ib is driving the ongoing human-to-human transmission in the DRC and neighbouring countries, while clade Ia is mainly associated with spillover from animal reservoirs in Central Africa. Clade 2, which caused a global outbreak in 2022, has been reported in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and South Africa.
Abubakar and his colleagues believe that the outbreak is at a stage where it can still be controlled and even eliminated within Africa. But this will require strong African leadership and commitment to implement the Mpox Preparedness and Response Plan co-led by the WHO and Africa CDC.
Key challenges and actions
The authors identify several key challenges and actions that are critical for Africa’s response to mpox and other disease outbreaks, including:
- Support African-led research to understand mpox transmission through a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health.
- Build on infrastructure and experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic in areas such as diagnosis, clinical research and molecular surveillance.
- Invest in public health infrastructure, particularly at the local and district level, as well as in human resources through staff training and improved working conditions.
- Establish information systems to ensure timely reporting and enable data-driven interventions.
- Expand local manufacturing capacity for vaccines, diagnostics, and medical supplies to reduce reliance on external sources.
- Involve local actors and networks to raise awareness and combat misinformation
The authors emphasise that, when empowered by national leaders and international partners, Africa has made great progress in its capacity to manage health crises, such as the Ebola outbreak in 2014-2016. Innovation will be instrumental to finding sustainable, context-specific solutions to disease outbreaks in the continent. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic must be integrated into future planning to ensure self-reliance and resilience. And foreign assistance, they note, should come in the form of investment, collaboration and equitable partnership rather than short-term, crisis-driven aid.
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Reference
Ibrahim Abubakar, Julius Lutwana, Cahterine Kyobutungi, Osman Sankoh. Mpox Global emergency: strengthening African leadership. The Lancet. Sept 20, 2024. Doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02068-3.
