The United Nations Refugee Agency – UNHCR has issued an appeal to raise about $225 million to raise the level of health services provided to forcibly displaced people in countries affected by the Mpox disaster in the African region.
The money will be spent on MPOX prevention efforts in 35 countries across the African region, affecting approximately 9.9 million people and host communities.
Mpox is a viral disease spread by contact with an infected person, animal or object.
More information about MPOX can be read here.
New virus disaster
Mpox disease has wreaked havoc in Africa for decades, but the increasing incidence of infections with a new form of the virus – clade 1b – prompted the World Health Organization to declare the disease a health emergency of international concern on August 14. forced to declare. .
Especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a significant increase in cases has been recorded.
So far this year, more than 20 thousand cases of empox infection have been recorded in Africa. At least 88 of these cases were among refugees, and 68 of those refugees are in the DRC. Cases of mpox have also been reported among refugees in Rwanda.
Refugees at risk
Alain Maina, head of public health at the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said the new spread of Mpox virus is putting vulnerable populations at risk.
This includes many refugees and forcibly displaced people. This population often lives in overcrowded shelters that lack clean water, sanitation facilities and nutritious food.
More than one-third of the world’s forcibly displaced people are in Africa. Many of them are suffering from MPOX infection and the situation there is very sensitive.
This situation is compounded by protracted wars and conflicts, chronic shortages of funding for humanitarian aid, and numerous disasters.
UNHCR is calling on the international community to increase financial support for relief and prevention measures for those most at risk from the spread of MPOX.