Mpox is now a litmus test for EU's health-crisis management

BY DAN IRVINE, 19 September 2024

WASHINGTON - As mpox continues to quickly spread across sub-Saharan Africa, the EU’s response to the mpox outbreak is a litmus test for the EU’s leadership in responding to present and future health emergencies.

Europe finds itself in a position of relative security.

Due in no small part to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s proactive monitoring and preparedness, the outbreak risk of the mpox virus remains low among EU member states.

However, as many countries in central Africa are grappling with Mpox, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), some uncertainties remain over the extent and type of EU support in tackling the disease.

The response to the mpox outbreak was one of the topics on the agenda at the European Parliament plenary on Wednesday (18 September), highlighting “the need for continuous action” to tackle the contagious disease.

But what is the role that the EU could play in addressing Mpox? And why could it be seen as a litmus test for the EU’s management of health crises?

 

'Disease fatigue' in DR Congo


In eastern DRC, where the outbreak is currently most intense, the combination of conflict, displacement, widespread poverty, and limited healthcare access has created a poly-crisis.

Residents, long besieged by infectious diseases like malaria, ebola, and Covid-19, are now battling mpox with health systems not yet equipped to handle this emergency alone.

World Vision’s teams on the ground found overwhelmed communities unable to invest new energy into another disease outbreak. This fatigue complicates efforts around vaccination, community mobilisation, and behaviour change communication — actions essential to slowing the spread.

It is true that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are working tirelessly to organise a continental response. Yet, the challenge lies in the underfunded health systems at the primary care level. Surveillance, diagnosis, and contact tracing are limited, and isolation facilities are scarce.

Making vaccines quickly available at scale must be a priority. The EU’s recent commitment of 566,500 mpox vaccine doses to Africa is commendable. As it is the news of Spain’s commitment to a donation of 500,000 doses.

However, this falls far short of the DRC’s request for 3.5 million doses and the Africa CDC’s projection of 10 million doses needed. Gavi’s planned global stockpile will eventually help close this gap, but it will take time and financial backing.

Widespread vaccine donations are key, but the EU and its member states can play a key role also in other areas.


Not just vaccines — community leaders


World Vision’s experience during the ebola outbreak in West Africa showed that ministries of health often struggle to manage risk communication and community mobilisation without local partners. It is essential to engage local health workers, faith leaders, and community influencers — barbers, kiosk owners, and others. These individuals build the trust needed to bridge the gap between misinformation and positive health behaviours.

Coordination between stakeholders is another critical component. In Africa, outbreak control is an “all hands on deck” situation.

Effective coordination among governments, health ministries, WHO response clusters, UNICEF, EU delegations and other local actors is pivotal—but coordination requires investment. These local partners often bring significant resources to the table, but with basic catalytic funding, their efforts can be significantly amplified.

Moreover, children are disproportionately affected by this outbreak, accounting for a majority of the cases in the DRC.

As of now, only one vaccine (LC16) is approved for use in children—and only in Japan. Without more trials targeting children and other vulnerable groups, we cannot ethically recommend Mpox vaccines for those most at risk. The EU can play a pivotal role in ensuring children’s access to vaccination, also by urging manufacturers to prioritise these trials. The world simply cannot afford to leave children behind in their response efforts.

As the outbreak continues to spread, the need for coordinated action has never been clearer. World Vision is mobilising through its Emergency mpox Response, or Empox response, which focuses on protecting the most vulnerable, particularly children in low and middle-income countries with challenging health systems.

As we stand at a crossroads, I believe Europe can lead by example. Beyond sharing vaccines, the EU must continue to support local vaccine manufacturing capacity across Africa.

This will help address both the current outbreak and future health crises. In the immediate term, leveraging existing development programmes and humanitarian efforts to bolster communication, mobilisation, and vaccine distribution is key.

The EU and member states must recognise that preventing further spread of this and future outbreaks is not just an act of solidarity, but an investment in global health security.

Choosing to provide targeted support for impacted health systems and ramp up our vaccine distribution means that the EU and its member states can be uniquely positioned to help avert further global crises.

By taking these steps now, the EU can lay the groundwork for a more agile and prepared response to future health challenges, turning lessons learned into a healthier and safer future for all.

 

 

 

 

 

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