Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
The just ended Southern African Development Community (SADC) 44th Summit, held in the Capital Harare Zimbabwe, directed the bloc’s secretariat to convene an urgent meeting of health ministers to assess the impact of the MPox outbreak and facilitate a coordinated regional response.
“The summit extended solidarity and support to Member States affected by MPox and further requested the World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa Center for Disease Control (Africa-CDC), and other partners to avail resources towards the MPox response in the region,” the SADC Communique stated.
MPox, a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, has been declared a global health emergency by the WHO. Some reports suggest that the virus is easily transmitted through gay couples especially men. The disease has been present in central and west Africa for years but has recently spread to over a dozen African countries, including some where it was never previously reported.
“The situation is alarming, and we need to act fast,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “Cases in Africa have risen by 79% from 2022-23 and by 160% from 2023-24. We need a coordinated regional response to combat the spread of the disease.”
The SADC region has reported over 90% of MPox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Zimbabwe, however, is yet to record a single case, despite concerns from health advocates about the rising cases in Africa.
Common symptoms of MPox include a skin rash or mucosal lesions, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The disease can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone infected, contaminated materials, or infected animals.
To date, 17,541 MPox cases have been reported in Africa, with 2,822 confirmed and 14,719 suspected cases. A total of 517 deaths have been reported, with a case fatality rate of 2.95% in 13 African Union (AU) Member States.
Zim GBC News ©2024