EU announces new projects to support mpox response in Democratic Republic of Congo

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - The European Union launched two projects Wednesday aimed at supporting the response to the mpox virus, preparedness and the fight against epidemics in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Under the projects, coordinated actions will to be carried out in the six targeted provinces most affected by mpox, including Equateur, North Kivu, Sankuru and South Kivu while globally strengthening the health system to better respond to possible future epidemics, according to a statement.

The projects -- worth €20 million ($21.7 million), which will be implemented by different partners including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization -- were unveiled in Congo’s capital Kinshasa and are aimed at contributing to the fight against the mpox epidemic in the country.

“The EU and its Member States have undertaken this action to help the DRC to deal with this epidemic, but above all to strengthen its structures for responding to health crises; in the event of an epidemic, the first and most effective response must come from public structures. And we are very pleased to support and strengthen these efforts,” said Nicolas Berlanga Martinez, the European Union’s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The funding will support the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute of Public Health in efforts aimed at improving early detection, prevention and treatment as well as reduce the stigma associated with the disease.

Since September last year, the EU and its member states have delivered 322,300 doses of mpox vaccines to support the response in Congo as part of a global commitment of 580,000 doses of vaccines to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Health authorities in Congo have said the country is facing setbacks in its response to mpox as more residents continue to flee treatment centers in the east due to an ongoing conflict between the M23 rebel group and Congolese troops.

Last week, the country reported a 31% weekly increase in mpox cases, bringing the total to 16,255, according to the Africa CDC.