Democratic Republic of Congo struggles to contain spread of mpox

KINSHASA: Agencies of the United Nations have raised the alarm about the spread of mpox in refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
More than 40 suspected mpox cases have been identified in refugee camps and transit centres in the eastern part of the central African country.
There are mounting concerns that the virus could spread to the nearly 2 million internally displaced people and refugees living in close proximity in the area.
Officials said the cramped environment of the camps, depleted immune systems and limited resources make it challenging to curb the spread.
“We see the displaced families living in crowded schools, shelters, tents, churches, and also in farmers’ fields. They have no space to isolate when they develop symptoms of the disease,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) chief of public health Allen Maina.
Humanitarian workers also face challenges accessing people in some regions that have been hit by deadly violence since 2021, with government forces fighting rebels who have captured several territories.
DRC has more than 7 million internally displaced people – one of the highest in the world – fleeing from escalating internal conflicts. It is also a major host for refugees from neighbouring countries including Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus.
It causes painful pus-filled skin lesions, accompanied by flu-like symptoms, fever, headache and muscle aches.
The virus is mainly spread through direct physical contact.
While it can also be contracted during face-to-face contact – such as talking or breathing close to someone with mpox – the World Health Organization (WHO) said droplets are only a minor route of transmission.
Pregnant mothers also risk passing the virus to their babies.
The disease often clears up on its own, but can turn deadly in vulnerable groups like children, partly because of their less developed immune systems.
A new, deadier and more contagious strain known as clade 1b emerged in September last year, and is driving the current outbreak.
The WHO declared mpox a global health emergency earlier this month after clade 1b spread from Congo to neighbouring African countries.
Cases have also been found outside Africa, including one in Sweden and another in Thailand.
The DRC accounts for more than 90 per cent of mpox cases reported on the continent this year. 
Over 18,000 people are suspected to have contracted the disease in the country, of which half are children. More than 600 people have died, including 400 children.
“Children under 5 years old are more vulnerable to the disease. They are also exposed to it more than adults,” said Dr Cris Kacita, head of the nation’s mpox response operations.
In a healthcare system that has been blighted by decades of conflict and corruption, the rapidly-increasing caseload is stretching health workers to the limit.
“We are facing several difficulties, including a shortage of medicine and protective gear,” said Monique Kamwanya, a nurse at a mpox treatment centre in the capital Kinshasa.
“We’ve also not been paid our salaries, so we are not very motivated to work in this risky environment. Some of our colleagues have stopped coming.”
Mpox has a long history dating back to 1970, when the first human case was reported in the heavily-forested central African nation, where the hunting and eating of wild animals is common.
“When you eat meat of an animal that was found dead, you are likely to get the virus. That is one way the disease is being transmitted,” said Health Minister Roger Kamba.
Authorities are battling low awareness and misinformation, with some patients preferring alternative or traditional treatment instead of going to a doctor.
“We have cases of adults who seek treatment from traditional healers and religious leaders instead of consulting doctors at health facilities,” said Dr Kacita.
The government has released US$10 million to be used for public awareness campaigns, tests on suspected cases and treatment.
There are two vaccines, but they are in short supply in Africa.
The United States and Japan have promised to deliver vaccines to the DRC, and the first batch could arrive as early as the first week of September.
The government said it needs 3.5 million doses of the jabs to fight the outbreak.
However, it will have to convince people to accept the shots after misinformation was spread about vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.