The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the Global Fund) announced in September 2024 that it is responding to a request from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for support in its mpox response. The Global Fund will provide US$9.5 million towards the emergency response in six of the highest transmission provinces (Equateur, Sud-Ubangui, Sankuru, Tshopo, Sud-Kivu, and Nord-Kivu) as well as Kinshasa, which is home to 17 million people.
DRC is fighting the world’s largest mpox epidemic, reporting 5,160 confirmed cases and 25 deaths since the beginning of the year. However, as testing capacity and availability are limited, the number of suspected cases could be up to five times the number of laboratory-confirmed cases. As the epidemiology of mpox evolves in “complex ways”, implications for prevention, preparedness, and response efforts also evolve. Furthermore, mpox is “increasingly being associated with HIV”, which heightens the risk of transmission, illness, and death. Thus, investment in mpox efforts helps to strengthen work on HIV, and vice versa.
Global Fund support
The support offered by the Global Fund contributes to specific priority areas on the government’s National Preparedness and Response plan:
- Enhancing disease surveillance systems with an emphasis on strengthening early warning capabilities and alert and response systems to detect, monitor, and respond to mpox and other disease outbreaks.
- Strengthening laboratory systems and diagnostics to increase case detection and stop the spread.
- Conducting risk communication and community mobilisation and engagement through the network of community health workers and community actors who are deployed for HIV, TB, and malaria prevention and awareness.
- Implementing infection prevention and control measures to protect health workers, including at the community level.
- Reinforcing country-level coordination, planning, and support for emergency response and operations.
- Strengthening the capacity of health facilities to provide primary care services and support future emergencies.
The support also complements the current collaboration between DRC’s ministry of health, Africa CDC, WHO, humanitarian organisations, and other key partners on efforts to “address the severe challenges to the public health system” in the east of the country, where the epidemic is “converging with risks of other infectious diseases”. The Global Fund has already contributed support in moving available stocks of personal protective equipment to the most affected provinces.
Today’s fight for tomorrow’s resilience
Dr Roger Kamba, Minister of Health and Social Welfare for the DRC recalled the “proven track record” of infectious disease control in the partnerships with the Global Fund and other health partners.
“Over the past two decades, the number of AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections in DRC have reduced by more than 60%, through coordination and collaboration across all out partners.”
Dr Kamba is “determined to continue to work in the same manner for a strong response to mpox”.
“The fight against the current mpox epidemic is a top priority for our ministry, especially through the reinforcement of the community response. It is essential to recognise that by acting now, we are not only fighting mpox but also investing in the resilience and health security of tomorrow.”
Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, reflected that people who live in “areas of conflict and crises” often encounter “significant barriers to accessing health services”.
“When a disease outbreak occurs in these places, the challenges are compounded. Strong systems of trusted community health workers, health educators, and other local responders are essential for stopping disease spread.”
Mark Edington, Head of Grant Management at the Global Fund, emphasised the importance of swift action in disease outbreak situations.
“Immediate intervention is crucial to strengthen systems for health and improve disease detection, surveillance, and response mechanisms, aiming to prevent further deterioration in health outcomes, particularly for women, children, and internally displaced persons.”
The Global Fund encourages other affected countries to assess their mpox needs and the consider the possibility of repurposing existing Global Fund investments.
To contribute to important discussions about effective allocation of funds for emergency responses and ensuring more resilient health systems, join us at the Congress in Barcelona next month. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletters here for the latest vaccine and global health news.
