WHO sends 33.5 metric tons of supplies to combat DRC Mpox

DRC—The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sent the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 33.5 metric tonnes of emergency medical supplies and equipment to help with the ongoing mpox outbreak.

This is the largest air cargo shipment to the African region this year, following an initial shipment two weeks prior that contained over 14 metric tonnes of emergency medical supplies to support infection prevention, control measures, and clinical treatment throughout the outbreak.

Together, these two shipments are expected to substantially strengthen infection prevention and treatment services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the next three months.

Aside from strengthening the mpox response, the medical equipment and supplies will also be distributed to laboratories and health facilities, including district and referral centers, to help treat other medical conditions.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo currently accounts for roughly 90% of the more than 31,000 suspected mpox cases reported this year across 14 countries in the African region.

WHO is collaborating closely with the government and its partners to enhance the country’s capacity, expertise, and overall outbreak response.

The spread of mpox in the country is linked to two distinct outbreaks: the spread of clade Ia in the western Equateur region and several other endemic provinces, including Kinshasa, and the spread of clade Ib in North and South Kivu provinces in the east, with isolated cases also emerging in Kinshasa.

As part of the effort to ramp up response measures, WHO is expanding its operational capacity on the ground; over 300 experts from WHO’s polio response programme have been integrated into the pox outbreak control team.

WHO also works closely with local communities and health authorities to raise awareness, encourage preventive measures, and promote case reporting.

In addition to these efforts, WHO is strengthening national diagnostic capacities by decentralizing testing by providing testing kits, reagents, and machines to eight laboratories nationwide.

WHO sent 3,500 GeneXpert cartridges to provincial laboratories on September 19, 2024, with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), allowing for more thorough testing and effective clinical care.

WHO is working with countries to create successful vaccination deployment techniques to prepare for a possible vaccine rollout.

The World Health Organization devised a vaccine-ready roadmap and is assisting nations in developing national programs to target the most vulnerable populations.

Commenting on these initiatives, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized WHO’s commitment to intensifying support in all critical areas of the outbreak response, including testing, prevention, and clinical care, to halt the spread of mpox.

Dr. Moeti also expressed gratitude to the organization’s partners for their collaboration in bolstering the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s efforts to end the outbreak.

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