JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday expressed “deep concern” over the rapid spread of Mpox in Africa, calling for international support for the continent in its response to the ongoing outbreak.
In his capacity as the African Union (AU) Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR), Mr Ramaphosa issued a statement on the current situation of the Mpox outbreak in Africa.
“I am deeply concerned by the rapid spread of Mpox in several regions of the African Union, with a significant increase in cases and deaths, reflecting a worrying change in the epidemiological pattern,” Mr Ramaphosa said.
In the statement, he recalled that since 2024, a total of 17,541 cases and 517 deaths due to Mpox have been reported in 13 AU members.
“This week, three more countries reported cases under investigation for confirmation. This may bring the total to 16 countries. Alarmingly, the number of cases reported in 2024 has increased by 160% compared to the same period in 2023,” he added.
The President said that as PPPR Champion, he fully supports the declaration by the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) that Mpox is a public health emergency for the security of the continent, adding that “this critical decision allows Africa CDC to lead and coordinate our collective response efforts, strengthening the Mpox response at all levels – from community engagement to collaboration with the highest political authorities and our international partners.”
Mr Ramaphosa also welcomed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). However, he stressed that this PHEIC must be different and correct the unfair treatment of the previous one declared in 2022, where vaccines and therapeutic treatments were developed and made available mainly to Western countries, with little support given to Africa.
“I call on WHO and all partners to work closely with the Africa CDC to ensure that this PHEIC can be accompanied by appropriate support from the international community, ensuring equitable access to medical countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines,” Mr Ramaphosa said.
“I urge the international community, partners and organizations to mobilize vaccine stocks and other medical countermeasures for deployment in Africa, using the mechanisms established by the Africa CDC to ensure equitable distribution, transparency and coordination,” he said. “Africa needs strong support in financing, research and technology sharing, with financial contributions directed to the Africa Epidemic Response Fund under the leadership of the Africa CDC.”
He also called on the international community to urgently finalize a fair and equitable pandemic agreement, accelerate Africa’s response and ensure that all nations, regardless of economic status, have equitable access to resources.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the Mpox virus that is transmitted through close contact, with symptoms including fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, rash and back pain. End
