Africa’s top health boss is sounding the alarm on mpox, and he’s not pulling any punches. Dr. Jean Kaseya, the big cheese at the Africa CDC, is calling out Western countries, basically saying, “Hey, remember how you dropped the ball during COVID? Let’s not do that again.”
The numbers are scary – over 3,000 new cases and more than 100 deaths in just a week. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is ground zero for this outbreak, with a nasty new strain causing havoc.
Here’s the kicker: Africa CDC is short $600 million to tackle this crisis. Kaseya’s not just asking for handouts; he’s challenging Western nations to put their money where their mouth is and show they’ve learned from past mistakes.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Some African countries are stepping up, chipping in cash to fight the outbreak. But let’s be real – they need help.
The good news? Vaccines are trickling in. The EU, US, and Japan have promised millions of doses. But as always, the devil’s in the details – when will they actually arrive?
Mpox isn’t just a “men’s disease” either. Kids under 15 are getting hit hard too. Kaseya’s pushing for more testing, saying they can’t fight this thing blindfolded.
To show he’s not just all talk, Kaseya’s rolling up his sleeve to get vaccinated in the DRC next month. It’s a bold move to build trust and show everyone the vaccine’s safe. The message is clear: Africa’s ready to fight mpox, but they need the world in their corner.