Mpox at One Year: Lessons in Speed and Continental Coordination
One year ago, on 13 August 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security — its first such declaration — in response to a rapidly worsening situation across multiple regions. This decision mobilised political and technical resources continent-wide, strengthening coordination and driving a unified response.
The mpox response has become a model for how the continent can confront public health threats with speed, solidarity, and resilience. By rapidly mobilising vaccines, strengthening surveillance, and deploying expert teams to affected areas, Africa CDC has demonstrated the value of coordinated continental action.
Central to this effort was the establishment of an Incident Management Support Team (IMST) – coled by Africa CDC and WHO – which coordinated technical guidance, country support and realtime information sharing.
The mpox outbreak has also underscored the importance of investing in local manufacturing of medical countermeasures, reinforcing community health systems, and expanding cross-border collaboration to prevent future outbreaks.
📥 Read the full brief in your preferred language:
👉 English PDF – Africa CDC Weekly Brief | 18 – 24 August 2025
👉 Version française – Bulletin Hebdomadaire d’Africa CDC | 18 – 24 Aout 2025
🔗 For direct inquiries or media engagement: communications@africacdc.org
