Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 2, 2024: The Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the African Union (AU) has made emergency approval of $10.4 million from the existing COVID funds for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to support ongoing efforts to combat the Mpox outbreak across the continent.
From January to July 2024, 15,074 Mpox cases (2,853 confirmed; 12,221 suspected) and 461 deaths (a case fatality rate of 3.06%) have been reported across Twelve (12) AU Member States. This represents a 160% increase in cases and a 19% increase in deaths in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The funding released by the PRC will complement national efforts by African Governments and support from various partners to strengthen five critical areas in the fight against Mpox: (1) enhancing Mpox surveillance and deployment surge capacity, (2) boosting laboratory testing and genomic sequencing capacity, (3) strengthening regional and national data collection and analytics, (4) enhancing case management, infection prevention and control, and risk communication and community engagement, and (5) improving access and delivery of vaccines, diagnostics, and supplies across the continent.
Read More – The PRC of the AU Provides Emergency Approval of $10.4 Million to Africa CDC
