Congolese health officials launched the country’s first mpox vaccination campaign on Saturday, marking a significant step in efforts to control an outbreak that has spread across multiple African nations this year. The launch took place at a hospital in Goma, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health workers were the first to receive the vaccine.
The vaccination campaign aims to protect front-line workers and vulnerable populations, although the Ministry of Health acknowledged that the campaign will be limited due to resource constraints. Only 265,000 vaccine doses are currently available, but health officials assured the public that more are on the way. Despite the limitations, the launch represents progress in addressing the longstanding inequity in access to mpox vaccines across Africa.
During the global mpox outbreak of 2022, African nations had little or no access to the two shots used to fight the virus, even as the vaccines were widely available in Europe and the United States. The current campaign is seen as a much-needed effort to correct this disparity.
“The rollout of the vaccine marks an important step in limiting the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, in a statement. She emphasized the importance of the vaccination effort in safeguarding public health and preventing the further spread of the virus.
Mpox, which spreads through close contact, typically causes flu-like symptoms and painful, pus-filled injuries on the skin. Although the illness is usually mild, it can be fatal in rare cases. Earlier this year, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after identifying a new variant of the virus that is driving the current surge in cases.
Congo has been hit particularly hard by the outbreak, with more than 30,000 suspected and confirmed cases, along with 990 deaths reported since the beginning of 2024. These numbers account for 90% of all mpox cases reported in Africa so far this year, underscoring the critical need for the vaccination campaign to curb the spread of the disease.
The vaccination effort in Congo is seen as a key move in the broader African response to mpox, with the hope that it will inspire similar efforts across the continent. However, with limited doses and resources, health authorities face the challenge of ensuring that the available vaccines reach those most at risk.
As the campaign progresses, Congolese officials are working closely with international health agencies like the WHO to secure additional vaccine supplies. The goal is to expand the scope of the campaign and ultimately reduce the number of new cases.
The government hopes that the early vaccination of healthcare workers will set the stage for a wider public rollout as more doses become available. This campaign is a pivotal moment in Congo’s ongoing battle against the disease and its effort to protect its citizens.
