Congo battles mpox outbreak with limited vaccines

Community health worker Benire Furahini Buchaguzi, 22, is at the forefront of Congo's mpox vaccination campaign, facing an uphill battle against misinformation and skepticism in the country's hard-hit eastern region, as the disease continues to spread across Africa.

"This vaccine is very important for my life and work," Buchaguzi said at the Kanyarutshinya Health Center after receiving her shot. "If we all get vaccinated, no one will be infected by an infected person."

Congo launched its mpox vaccination campaign earlier this month, a key step in containing the outbreak that has spread to numerous African nations this year. The campaign's scope is narrow due to limited supply, with just 265,000 doses available for now in the country of around 100 million people.

Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, reported that the number of African countries affected by mpox has risen from six in April to 18 in October. The head of Congo's mpox response team, Cris Kacita, said more needed to be done to boost vaccine take-up.

In Kibati, a camp for displaced people in North Kivu province, many residents described receiving no information about the vaccination plan.

Africa has reported over 42,000 suspected and confirmed mpox cases and 1,100 deaths since the start of 2024, according to Africa CDC data. The vast majority of these have been in Congo.

In Goma, the provincial capital, healthcare workers are concerned the lack of information will undermine efforts to contain the disease.

"If the population hasn't been informed about a disease, the risk is it may spread among them," Dr. Hassan Amisi Djuma, a public health expert working in the city, said.

Health workers like Buchaguzi are now tasked with promoting the benefits of vaccination. Armed with a megaphone and her vaccination certificate, she walks through the camp, approaching groups to spread her message.