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On Tuesday August 13, the African Union’s Health Agency declared a “public health emergency” in the face of the mpox epidemic sweeping the continent. This announcement should enable the release of funds to provide access to vaccines and coordinate the health response of states.
The African Union is sounding the charge against mpox. Its health agency, Africa CDC, has declared a “public health emergency”, its highest level of alert, in the face of the epidemic underway in several countries on the continent, its director announced on Tuesday August 13.
“Mpox has now crossed borders, affecting thousands of people across our continent […]. I announce, with a heavy heart but with an unwavering commitment to our people, to our African citizens, that we are declaring mpox a continental public health emergency”, Africa CDC president Jean Kasenya told a press conference. “This declaration is not a mere formality, it’s a clear call to action. It’s a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this scourge,” he added.
This announcement, which in particular will enable the release of funds for access to vaccines and a continental response, comes on the eve of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) emergency committee meeting to assess whether to declare the highest level of international health alert in the face of this disease.
Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is a zoonosis: a viral disease that spreads from animals to humans, but can also be transmitted between humans through close physical contact with a person infected with the virus.