Double Blow to Africa: Mpox and Marburg Virus Overwhelm Health Systems in the Heart of the Continent

Marburg virus under the microscope Photo: Africanews

December 20, 2024 Hour: 4:32 pm

Central and East Africa are facing an unprecedented health crisis, battered by a double attack of viral diseases: the Mpox virus and the Marburg virus. While world powers look the other way, the people of the region are forced to fight against international indifference and the lack of resources to combat these devastating outbreaks.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is at the epicenter of the Mpox crisis, with over 13,000 cases and 450 deaths reported to date. This figure, which far exceeds last year’s, represents an absolute failure of the international response, revealing the hypocrisy of speeches about global health.

Neighboring countries such as Cameroon, Burundi, and Uganda are also recording new cases, overloading health systems already weakened by years of disinvestment and neoliberal policies that prioritize profit over human life.

The World Health Organization (WHO), finally declaring Mpox a public health emergency in August 2024, acknowledged the magnitude of the problem, although its response has been widely criticized as late and insufficient. “Mpox has been reported in the DRC for over a decade, with a steady increase in annual cases. Last year we saw a significant increase, and the number reported so far this year already surpasses last year’s total,” stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

However, these empty words do not translate into real action to mitigate the suffering of the affected populations.

Virus transmission, aggravated by poverty and lack of access to basic health services, occurs through close contact with infected individuals or animals. Symptoms, which include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rashes, can lead to serious complications, especially in individuals with weak immune systems. Lack of access to testing and the saturation of health systems further complicate controlling the outbreak.

To worsen the situation, Rwanda is facing its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, with over 60 confirmed cases and a high fatality rate. The impact on health workers, already overburdened by the Mpox crisis, is particularly worrying.

Despite the distribution of almost 900,000 doses of Mpox vaccine in Africa, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) estimate that over 10 million doses are needed to control the outbreak. This abysmal discrepancy between needs and available resources exposes the cruelty of global inequality in access to health.

The situation in Central and East Africa demands an immediate and coordinated response from the international community.

Massive investment is needed in testing, surveillance, health infrastructure, and above all, in social justice to guarantee the right to health for all, regardless of their origin or wealth. While the international community remains passive, the people of Africa continue to pay the price of the negligence and greed of the powerful. The fight against these diseases is not just a health battle; it is a battle against global injustice.