The African continent prepares to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) as the Mpox outbreak spreads across numerous countries.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) made this announcement during a webinar on the Mpox situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations.
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus which resembles smallpox but is generally less severe. Its symptoms include fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and it can be transmitsted from animals to humans and between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects.
In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health bodies renamed monkeypox to “pox” to mitigate stigma and discrimination associated with the original name.
Kaseya emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated response to contain the disease, stating, “Mpox is the reality, and Africans are dying. We are taking decisive actions to protect our people. Next week, more likely, we will declare the PHECS.”
He highlighted the necessity of engaging the continent’s youth in combating the outbreak and asserted that their involvement is crucial for harnessing energy and innovation in the response efforts.
Kaseya noted that the Africa CDC has actively monitored and responded to the Mpox outbreak, which has raised significant concerns due to its rapid spread and increasing fatalities.
Public health officials warned that without urgent action, the situation could worsen and endanger more lives.
As the continent anticipates the official PHECS declaration, there is a growing urgency to contain the outbreak to facilitate swift deployment of medical supplies, improve critical information sharing and improve overall resilience of public health systems across Africa.
