.Rising fatalities unacceptable – Director-General
By Uche Onyeali
Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa, CDC, as called for urgent action Monkey Pox, Mpox, as the Centre and the World Health Organisation, WHO, recorded 107 new deaths and 3,160 new cases in a week.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Director-General of the Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya
said that “in the one week, we lost 107 (people). It is too much and not acceptable. Africa cannot rely on only confirmed cases for decision-making and response”.
Kaseya, who described the rising toll as unacceptable also stressed the need for enhanced cross-border surveillance.
Besides, he noted that enough testing was not being done and called for increased testing and resources to support it as well as
stronger cross-border surveillance to contain the disease.
However, Africa’s Mpox vaccine rollout is underway as the continent is in the process of receiving Mpox vaccines, with 250,000 doses already delivered to Congo the epicentre of the outbreak.
More than three million doses are needed to end the outbreak in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency.
The EU countries have pledged to donate over 500,000 doses, but the delivery timeline remains uncertain. Despite the urgent need, the recommended course of vaccination involves two doses. Since the beginning of the year, Africa CDC has recorded 5,731 confirmed Mpox cases and 724 associated deaths.
Mpox can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy. The Mpox virus is related to smallpox, but causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches. Severe cases can lead to lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitalia.
The estimated budget for the six-month plan put forward by Africa CDC and WHO is almost $600 million.
Meanwhile, some African Union member states have already contributed to the response plan budget.
