A new research network, MpoxReC, has been established to counter Africa’s surge in mpox cases and is urgently seeking funding as outbreaks emerge in previously unaffected parts of the continent.
Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, can result in a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever. While most individuals recover fully, the disease can become severe or fatal. The consortium, announced in The Lancet in May, aims to secure funding for research activities across mpox-endemic countries. Jean Nachega, the coordinating committee chair, emphasises the immediate need for financial support to address the rising outbreaks, particularly in regions where the disease is spreading through sexual contact.
Nachega and his co-authors highlight the persistent struggle of Africa’s leading mpox scientists to obtain critical research funding. "Mpox is a serious health concern, not only for African countries but for the world. COVID-19 showed clearly that viruses have no respect for borders, and if we don’t accelerate efforts to eliminate mpox in Africa, we risk its spread to other continents," Nachega told Nature Africa.
The consortium’s objectives include enhancing disease surveillance, research capacity, and community engagement. Initial efforts will focus on Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, and Nigeria, where mpox is endemic. Nachega also invites other countries, such as South Africa, which has reported 22 mpox cases and three deaths since May, to join the initiative.
In the DRC, a new and dangerous mpox strain has spread to Goma, a large city in the east, with 25 cases reported, mainly in camps for displaced people. With over 11,900 mpox cases and nearly 450 deaths recorded this year, experts warn of an increased risk of cross-border transmission. Access to vaccines and treatment in the DRC remains limited.
Nachega, also the senior and corresponding author of a recent Nature Medicine report on the new strain, underscores the urgency for control strategies, noting the rising cases of sexually transmitted mpox among high-risk populations, such as sex workers in the mining regions of eastern DRC.
Collaboration between African countries heavily impacted by mpox remains minimal, and data on research funding is scarce. "MpoxReC aims to address this through its comprehensive research agenda," says Nachega.
In May, WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme director, Mike Ryan, described mpox as a "neglected disease," noting that no donor funding was received for the response in endemic countries during the 2022 global outbreak, with WHO relying on its contingency fund for emergencies. Nachega suggests that African researchers, who have studied the virus for decades, should lead the mitigation efforts on the continent.
This new initiative underscores the urgent need for international support and collaboration to combat the spread of mpox and protect vulnerable populations across Africa.
Article by RB Reporter
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