"On the one hand, we are facing numerous outbreaks and on the other hand, we do not have sufficient resources," said John Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in an online press briefing.
"For now, we are doing everything we can to decentralize laboratory capacity, strengthen community outreach, and improve sample collection and transportation. However, we cannot do all we want to do without adequate safety and resources," Kaseya noted.
In recent weeks, the Africa CDC has denounced the impact of the temporary freeze on international aid ordered by the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, which has resulted in a significant cut in the agency's funding.
Kaseya also noted that the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo) is making it difficult to test for mpox, which has led to a downward trend in the number of confirmed cases, which, he warned, may not reflect the real situation in the country.
Thus, since the beginning of 2025, 27,227 cases (6666 laboratory confirmed) and 283 deaths from mpox have been reported in Africa.
According to Kaseya, 16 of the 23 countries that have registered outbreaks are in the so-called "active phase", including the DR Congo, a neighboring nation of Angola, which remains the epicenter of the epidemic with 80,828 infections (16,434 laboratory-confirmed) and 1623 deaths, while another seven are in the "control phase".
"This is our call on leaders to ensure stability in the region as soon as possible and to seek all possible ways to support the response, including the provision of vaccines," the head of the AU health agency appealed.
The official also urged partners who have committed to providing vaccines and resources to the Africa CDC "not to stop their support as this is a crucial life-saving intervention."
Kaseya said he visited Canada and the US two weeks ago to discuss the future of global health aid to Africa and said African health ministers will meet on Friday, March 14, to address the issue, as well as possible alternatives to ensure sustainable financing on the continent.
"The Africa CDC is taking proactive political and strategic steps to unify the countries of the continent in the face of these challenges," he stressed.
The Director General also announced that the Africa CDC, in collaboration with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will organize a roundtable in April with the ministers of finance and health of the countries of these organizations.
The roundtable, which will take place in Washington, USA, will seek to discuss mechanisms to ensure stable health financing in Africa.
The AU health agency declared mpox a public health emergency of continental security on 13 August 2024 and the following day the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a state of international health alert for the disease, a measure that the WHO also decided to extend.
Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, and lack of energy.
Since the beginning of 2024, around 98,000 cases (more than 22,000 laboratory-confirmed) and more than 1700 deaths have been recorded across the African continent in 22 countries.
