DAKAR, Senegal – Africa’s efforts to combat the surging mpox outbreak are facing a significant financial hurdle, with less than 10% of the estimated $245 million needed currently secured, according to a senior official from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The continent finds itself under immense pressure to control the spread of the potentially deadly virus, declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization in mid-August. This declaration came after a new strain of mpox began rapidly spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries.
“Currently, the funding gap stands at around $224 million,” said the official, adding that figures might change as new information becomes available. They confirmed that roughly $20 million has been secured so far for the response.
Despite the funding challenges, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya announced the organization’s progress towards securing nearly 1 million doses of the mpox vaccine. This includes 215,000 doses from vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, along with significant contributions from France (100,000 doses), Germany (almost 100,000 doses), and Spain (approximately 500,000 doses).
However, a crucial detail remains unclear: the exact timeline for these vaccines to reach the DRC, the nation most impacted by the outbreak.
Mpox, a viral infection characterized by pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is generally mild but can be fatal in some cases.
