South African President seeks int'l support for Africa's Mpox response

Johannesburg: South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday expressed "deep concern" over the rapid spread ofMpox 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), Ramaphosa issued a statement on the current situation of Mpox outbreak in Africa, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I am deeply concerned by the rapid spread of Mpox across multiple regions within the African Union, with a significant rise in both cases and fatalities, reflecting a concerning shift in the epidemiological pattern," said Ramaphosa.

In the statement, he noted that since 2024, a total of 17,541 cases and 517 deaths due to Mpox have been reported across 13 AU members.

"This week, three additional countries notified cases under investigation for confirmation. That can bring the total to 16 countries. Alarmingly, the number of reported cases in 2024 has surged by 160 percent compared to the same period in 2023," he added.

The President said that, as the PPPR Champion, he fully supports the director general of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)'s declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, adding "this crucial decision empowers Africa CDC to lead and coordinate our collective response efforts, strengthening the Mpox response at every level -- from community engagement to collaboration with the highest political authorities and our international partners."

Ramaphosa also welcomed the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

However, he stressed this PHEIC must be different and correct the unfair treatment from the previous one declared in 2022, where vaccines and therapeutics were developed and made available primarily to Western countries, with little support extended to Africa.

"I call upon the WHO and all partners to collaborate closely with Africa CDC to ensure that this PHEIC unlocks appropriate support from the international community, guaranteeing equitable access to medical countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines," said Ramaphosa.

"I urge the international community, partners, and organisations to mobilise stockpiles of vaccines and other medical countermeasures for deployment in Africa, utilising the mechanisms established by Africa CDC to ensure equitable distribution, transparency, and coordination," he said.

He added, "Africa requires robust support in funding, research, and the sharing of technologies, with financial contributions directed to the Africa Epidemic Fund under the leadership of Africa CDC."

He further called on the international community to urgently finalise a fair and equitable pandemic agreement, to accelerate Africa's response and ensure that all nations, regardless of economic status, have fair access to the resources.

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that is spread through close contact, with symptoms including fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.