Global health emergency declared due to polio outbreak

A global health emergency has been declared to further strengthen the control of the spread of the life-threatening disease Empox (formerly known as Monkeypox). The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a health emergency due to the rapid spread of MPOX in many countries on the African continent.

This is the first time in history that all African countries have declared a health emergency. The Empox virus began to spread rapidly throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo in January.

Congo has declared a state of emergency to further strengthen efforts to control the spread of the disease, but it is unclear when the vaccine will be delivered to Congo and its neighbors. As the World Health Organization discusses the Africa CDC’s decision, analysts hope efforts will be made to get the vaccine to African countries.

“It is very important to declare a health emergency because of the rapid spread of the disease,” said Congolese health official Ron-Lek Muyembe-Tampam. He said that based on the decision of the Africa CDC, he hopes the international community will help deliver vaccines to Congo.

Congo is a vast country in the center of the African continent. The country is already plagued by measles and cholera. Muyembe-Tampham said Congo does not have the medical equipment and infrastructure to control the spread of dangerous diseases.

The African Union (AU) last week allocated $10.4 million to help control the spread of polio in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa CDC said. Ron Keseya, director-general of the agency, said procurement of three million doses of the vaccine had already begun. However, he did not provide details.

Congo has begun preparations for a vaccination campaign to control the spread of the disease. However, experts say the country will only have 65,000 doses of the vaccine available in the short term. The campaign is expected to begin in October, experts say.

The number of polio cases in Congo has reached 15,000 this year and 461 people have died from the disease. Most of them are children. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of infections in Congo has risen to 22,000 since January 2023, with a total of 1,200 deaths.

A new variant of the polio virus has spread to neighboring countries. The countries where the disease is spreading include Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya. This is the first time the disease has spread to these countries. In addition, the disease is spreading in Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa. As of 2022, the disease has spread rapidly around the world. The most common cases are among gay men.