Fatshimetrie, September 19, 2024 edition.
The provincial city of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is currently in the grip of an outbreak of Mpox, also known as monkeypox. Local health authorities have called on journalists to raise awareness and mobilize the population around efforts to combat this disease.
During a recent briefing, Dr. Adelar Lofongola, Incident Manager of the Mpox Incident Management System, stressed the importance of raising awareness among the population about the threat of Mpox and mobilizing them to actively participate in the response. A vaccination campaign is planned from October 2 to 11, 2024 to contain the spread of the disease.
Dr. Lofongola emphasized that vaccination will be conducted at the health zone and provincial levels, with a readiness threshold of 80% to be reached to start vaccination. Health authorities have received 265,000 doses of adult vaccines and are expecting the delivery of childhood vaccines soon.
This vaccination campaign follows an increase in Mpox cases in the country, and authorities are emphasizing the importance of communication to raise awareness among the population about the symptoms of the disease and its modes of transmission. It is essential that the population is informed about the early signs of Mpox, such as fever, chills and rashes, as well as the risks of human-to-human transmission.
Dr. Christian Ngandu, National Coordinator of the Public Health Emergency Operation Center (COUSP), stressed the importance of communication in the Mpox response and in all public health operations. The COUSP has activated its maximum response plan and is working to strengthen the population’s understanding to encourage behavior change that will reduce the spread of the virus.
In conclusion, the fight against Mpox in the DRC requires collective mobilization and effective communication to inform the population, raise awareness of the risks and encourage vaccination. The media play a key role in this awareness and mobilization effort, and regular actions will be carried out to maintain community engagement in the response against Mpox.
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