RISK OF GLOBAL PANDEMIC
That risk can be observed in the multi-country Mpox outbreak in Africa.
Uganda, for instance, has registered more than 4,900 confirmed Mpox cases so far this year, with more than 30 deaths reported, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“At first, I thought I had chicken pox or measles, so I went to a clinic,” recalled Ugandan mpox survivor Sheila Asiimwe.
But she said the doctor turned her away and told her to seek treatment at a larger medical facility.
“This scared me. At home, my neighbours stayed away from me. All my workmates, friends, and clients shunned me. I felt victimised and alone,” she added.
Elsewhere, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has it worse. More than 16,000 cases have been confirmed, with at least 40 deaths reported, according to reports.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned that the true toll may be far higher due to gaps in disease monitoring and lab testing.
“When it comes to humanitarian response in the DRC, US funding is a big part of it,” said Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO representative to the DRC.
“So you can imagine how this can directly or indirectly affect responses on the ground.”
