Congo Initiates First-Ever Mpox Immunization Campaign
Congo has initiated its inaugural mpox vaccination campaign.
TroibNews 
Congolese health officials initiated their first mpox vaccination campaign on Saturday, marking an important milestone in their efforts to control an outbreak that has expanded from its central origin in the Democratic Republic of Congo to several other African countries this year.
A ceremony was held in Goma, an eastern city, to celebrate the launch of vaccinations, with health workers being the first to receive the vaccine doses.
The Health Ministry cautioned on Friday that the campaign would have limited reach due to resource constraints. Currently, there are 265,000 vaccine doses available, with more expected in the future.
This vaccination initiative is a step toward rectifying the significant inequity that left African nations without access to the two vaccines used against the global mpox outbreak in 2022, which were readily available in Europe and the United States.
"The rollout of the vaccine marks an important step in limiting the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities," stated Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa.
Mpox is primarily transmitted through close contact. While it usually presents mild symptoms, it can be fatal in rare instances, manifesting flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on affected individuals.
In August, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern following the identification of a new variant.
Since the beginning of 2024, Congo has registered over 30,000 suspected and confirmed cases, along with 990 fatalities, which account for 90 percent of all cases reported in Africa this year, according to the WHO.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
A ceremony was held in Goma, an eastern city, to celebrate the launch of vaccinations, with health workers being the first to receive the vaccine doses.
The Health Ministry cautioned on Friday that the campaign would have limited reach due to resource constraints. Currently, there are 265,000 vaccine doses available, with more expected in the future.
This vaccination initiative is a step toward rectifying the significant inequity that left African nations without access to the two vaccines used against the global mpox outbreak in 2022, which were readily available in Europe and the United States.
"The rollout of the vaccine marks an important step in limiting the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities," stated Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa.
Mpox is primarily transmitted through close contact. While it usually presents mild symptoms, it can be fatal in rare instances, manifesting flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on affected individuals.
In August, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern following the identification of a new variant.
Since the beginning of 2024, Congo has registered over 30,000 suspected and confirmed cases, along with 990 fatalities, which account for 90 percent of all cases reported in Africa this year, according to the WHO.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
