Tag: mpox

Zimbabwe Among 17 African Nations to Receive WHO and Africa CDC Support for Targeted Mpox Vaccine Rollout

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has been selected as one of 17 African countries to receive targeted support for mpox vaccine development, a major initiative spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The initiative aims to bolster vaccine preparedness and deployment efforts across the continent, with a focus on effectively reaching populations most at risk of mpox. Other countries benefiting from this support include Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia,…

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One Health and Climate: Dr. Onyango Speaks On Transforming Africa’s Health Resilience

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In 2024, African health ministers adopted a 10-year framework to build climate-resilient and sustainable health systems across the continent. This framework aims to guide World Health Organization (WHO) African region member states in translating global climate and health initiatives into concrete, actionable steps at the country level. For over a decade, the WHO has collaborated with member states and partners on policies and research initiatives to strengthen multisectoral efforts on health and environmental issues in Africa. These initiatives focus on creating strategies and frameworks that address the…

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WHO approves first mpox diagnostic test for emergency use, boosting global access

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the first mpox in vitro diagnostic (IVD) under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure, an important step in improving global access to mpox testing. The approval for emergency use of the Alinity m MPXV assay, manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc., will be pivotal in expanding diagnostic capacity in countries facing mpox outbreaks, where the need for quick and accurate testing has risen sharply. Early diagnosis of mpox enables timely treatment and care, and control of the virus. Limited testing capacity…

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Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health Issues Mpox Alert

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter With Mpox cases currently on an upward trend in Africa, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has issued an alert warning citizens to be vigilant and exercise extreme caution in the face of an impending crises. The number of Africa countries that have reported the Mpox outbreak have risen to 14 with the last being Guinea in West Africa. M-Pox (formerly known as Monkey Pox) in non-endemic countries, has also bee reported in  neighbouring South Africa. M-Pox is a rare viral infection endemic to Central…

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UNICEF Issues Emergency Tender To Secure Mpox Vaccines For Crisis-hit African Countries

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter UNICEF has announced that it has issued an emergency tender for the procurement of mpox vaccines. Vaccines can play a critical role in containing the mpox outbreak which was declared a public health emergency by both the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The UNICEF tender is issued to help secure mpox vaccines for the hardest hit countries in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, the Pan American Health Organization and other partners. This collaboration…

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Africa CDC Develops Mpox Surveillance Reporting Protocol for African Union Member States

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to enhance existing mpox surveillance in Africa, identify at risk populations as well as understand the epidemiology, natural history and risk factors associated with mpox, the Africa Centre for Diseases Control (Africa CDC) has developed an Mpox surveillance protocol for member states. The new protocol recommends enhancing surveillance within communities and health facilities and, at the point of entries, linking these efforts to national and regional laboratories for confirmation. Countries are encouraged to share the case-based data with the African CDC and the WHO…

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WHO-Afro Calls For Collaborative Cross-Border Surveillance for Mpox In Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While Mpox cases have been on a downward trend in most World Health Organisation (WHO) regions, the same cannot be said for Africa as cases have been increasing every month since the beginning of 2024. With over 99,000 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 208 deaths having been confirmed globally since January 2024, the total number of cases reported in 12 African countries as of August 18, 2024, according to the WHO Afro Region is 4,562 and 35 lab-confirmed deaths. WHO has since declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of…

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WHO declares mpox a global health emergency

Kuda Pembere

  The World Health Organization on Wednesday finally declared the spread of mpox in some African countries a public health emergency of international concern. The declaration comes hot on the heels after the Africa CDC declared the disease a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). The decision from WHO came following the advice the UN health arm’s Director General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus got from a panel of experts on the disease. “Today, the Emergency Committee on #mpox met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a…

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#JUSTIN: Africa CDC Declares Mpox A Public Health Emergency of Continental Security

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017. This declaration, under Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes, empowers the organization to lead and coordinate responses to significant health emergencies. The statute mandates Africa CDC to “coordinate and support Member States in health emergency responses, particularly those declared PHECS or Public Health Emergency of International…

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#JUSTIN: Zimbabwe Ready To Respond To Mpox

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following detection of a deadly Mpox variant in several countries in the African region, Zimbabwe has enhanced its diseases surveillance systems at all entry points in a bid to effectively respond to the disease, Public Health Advisor to the President, Dr Agnes Mahomva has said. Even though Zimbabwe is yet to record an Mpox case, the virus has been detected in more than 10 African countries namley the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Uganda,  Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Sequencing of…

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