We are told that medical treatment is free, but once we get to hospital, we are only given a really small dose of medicine to treat the disease,
I am already afraid, especially with the families who are here in Goma, the situation here in the east, there are many displaced people who don't know how to access care, we are not explained the barrier measures, there is no alert,
Today we bought 20 litres of water for a thousand Congolese francs, and then we have the choice between washing and preparing food. The second option is more crucial for our survival,
A lot of people fall ill in this camp,
When this disease invades your household, no one can escape it because it's highly contagious,
Observe hygiene measures and avoid all contact with anyone displaying any symptoms of mpox,
There is further concern about the lack of access to vaccines and a globally slow response to vaccine production and distribution. Even though there are existing effective vaccines, there are not enough doses and they are not being getting to where they are needed."
There are multiple outbreaks happening at present,
However, planning is underway to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK
While there is (a) cross-border spread of a potentially more severe mpox Clade I in parts of Central and East Africa, the outbreak has thus far remained within the African continent, with no reported cases of Clade I exported out of the African continent,
We have informed all medical practitioners and healthcare institutions to be vigilant in detecting and reporting all mpox cases, including those suspected of Clade I infections,
The situation is concerning because of the spread of the clade 1b virus, which is considered to cause more severe disease, and because there are many children being infected in DRC during this new outbreak,
These declarations amount to a call for action, and should lead to the prompt mobilization of money and resources, and a co-ordinated international response to the epidemic,
The amount of vaccine required has been estimated by Africa CDC to be 10 million doses. The cost and availability of vaccine is going to be a great challenge, but it is really important that, unlike in the COVID-19 pandemic, there is global solidarity, that the vaccine reaches the people who need it most and that it is not stockpiled by rich countries."
In addition to ongoing health support, in the last few months the United States has provided an additional $17 million USD to support clade I mpox preparedness and response efforts in Central and Eastern Africa,
This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community,
WHO is on the ground, working with the affected countries, and others at risk, through our country and regional offices...For example, we are providing machines to analyse blood samples and confirm cases of mpox. We're supporting laboratories to sequence viral samples, we're on the ground supporting case investigation, contact tracing, risk communication and community engagement,
We have released USD 1.45 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, and we plan to release more in the coming days. We are also appealing to donors to fund the rest of the response plan,
WHO is committed in the days and weeks ahead to coordinate the global response, working closely with each of the affected countries, and leveraging our on-the-ground presence, to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives. I thank the Emergency Committee for its work and advice,
We're training health workers and supporting clinicians to provide appropriate care; We're supporting countries to access vaccines and develop the strategies to roll them out; And much more,