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Rabat — The African Union (AU)stated on Tuesday that the toll of 26,544 monkeypox (mpox) cases in Africa, including 5,732 confirmed cases and 724 deaths, warrants caution rather than alarm.
In a joint press release, African Union Chairman Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazwany and African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat confirmed that “no African region appears to have been spared from the wave of spread.”
They expressed deep concern about the impact of this pandemic on particularly vulnerable groups, such as children and women. They also praised the proactive efforts of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which, in coordination with the World Health Organization, has declared the monkeypox epidemic a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The joint statement urged all African Union Member States to strengthen their surveillance and screening systems and to intensify awareness and vaccination campaigns. It emphasized that priority should be given to the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that vaccines are accessible to the most at-risk communities.
The statement highlighted the urgent need for African solidarity due to the enormous needs of the most affected countries, stressing that “limiting the spread of the monkeypox epidemic is a collective responsibility.”
Both the AU Chairperson and the AU Commission Chairperson underscored the need to “mobilize and organize assistance to the most affected countries,” noting that a budget of $600 million and over 10 million vaccines are required to eradicate the epidemic in Africa.
“It is crucial that vaccines are administered quickly and effectively without delay to contain the spread of the virus,” they added, expressing their deep gratitude to all international partners who have already made significant contributions and urging them to increase their efforts.
The press release also announced an upcoming high-level meeting of the African Heads of State Committee on Disease Control and Prevention, which will bring together leaders from regional economic communities, affected countries, and international partners.
The purpose of this meeting, they explained, is to strengthen the response to the epidemic and mobilize the necessary financial resources to support the continental plan.
