The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is advancing as a leader in the international response to mpox outbreaks in Africa, demonstrating great capacity for coordinating and managing health emergencies. With the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and collaboration from the International Association of National Public Health Institutes, the DRC has played a key role in the first activation of the Global Health Emergency Corps, which brings together a global team of experts to support mpox containment efforts.
Since its recent declaration as a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024, the mpox outbreak has affected 18 African countries, with the DRC and Burundi being the most impacted. In response, the DRC has implemented a comprehensive strategy encompassing case detection, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, and community mobilization, in collaboration with WHO and other allies. This coordinated approach strengthens the region’s public health infrastructure, optimizing the country’s ability to effectively address current and future outbreaks.
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Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, praised the DRC’s efforts, highlighting that its leadership in this initiative strengthens the regional response and provides a model of international cooperation in times of crisis. With the deployment of 56 experts from WHO, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), and the African Volunteer Health Corps, the DRC has been key in managing the emergency, leading critical measures such as epidemiological surveillance, laboratory capacity enhancement, and infection prevention.
The dedication of African emergency professionals has also been essential in the DRC’s response. Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, Regional Emergency Director of WHO’s Regional Office for Africa, emphasized that the involvement of local experts ensures a culturally adapted and effective response, saving lives and improving the resilience of health systems to face future emergencies. The coordination efforts led from the Public Health Emergency Operations Center in Kinshasa have enabled rapid and efficient mobilization, optimizing resources and on-the- ground response.
On October 22, officials from several affected countries met to exchange best practices and coordinate control strategies under the DRC’s leadership. This effort, driven by the DRC, reaffirms its crucial role in containing mpox, which continues to pose a global threat. The DRC’s dedication and experience in this emergency highlight the capacity of African health systems to take a leadership role in managing health threats, setting an example for global responses to similar crises in the future.
