The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the latest mpox outbreak in Africa an international health emergency, urging global support. However, there is a severe lack of funds to combat the potentially deadly virus.
To control the spread of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries, significant efforts are needed in surveillance, public health education, and vaccination. These efforts will be costly, especially for the DRC, a country already struggling with poverty and conflict.
Financial contributions and shortfalls
The WHO has allocated $1.45 million from its emergency fund, while the African Union has approved $10.4 million from its existing Covid funds for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, may also contribute from its $500 million emergency fund for vaccinations.
Despite these contributions, the available funds fall far short of the $4 billion needed to fight Mpox, according to Africa CDC’s Director General, Jean Kaseya.
Experts warn that the lack of adequate funding could lead to repeating past mistakes. Javier Guzman, Director of Global Health Policy at the Centre for Global Development, said that while Gavi’s potential funding could help with vaccinations, it is “far from adequate”. The Mpox outbreak is centred in Congo, which is plagued by long-term conflict, poverty, and malnutrition.
Challenges in containing the virus
With 4.2 million internally displaced people living in crowded camps, containing the virus is a significant challenge. So far this year, there have been about 15,700 suspected cases and around 550 deaths in Congo, raising concerns about the potential spread of a newer, more contagious mpox variant.
Congo’s government has requested 3.5 million vaccine doses, with costs running into hundreds of millions of dollars. Public Health Minister Roger Kamba has called on the international community for assistance, stressing the urgent need for support. The struggle to secure funding for the Mpox outbreak highlights a broader issue of limited resources for combating deadly diseases.
Overarching issues in disease funding
Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, noted that while more funds are needed, it’s crucial not to overlook the ongoing funding shortages for diseases like malaria in Congo. Sands suggested that repurposing existing funds for disease prevention might be one of the quickest ways to address the mpox crisis.
He also emphasised the importance of better understanding the epidemiology of the disease in Congo, which the global health emergency declaration could help focus attention on.