Africa's battle against the mpox outbreak is hitting a serious roadblock 
: funding. According to Ngashi Ngongo, Chief of Staff at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the continent has secured less than 10% of the estimated $245 million needed to tackle the surging mpox cases.
Since mid-August, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency, the stakes have been high. A new strain of this potentially deadly virus started spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries, putting millions at risk.
\"We've come to the first estimate of \$245 million,\" Ngongo shared at a WHO meeting in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. But here's the catch: only about \$20 million is currently on the table. The DRC's government has pledged \$10 million, and the African Union approved an additional \$10.4 million. That leaves a whopping \$224 million funding gap! 
Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, brought a glimmer of hope 
by announcing moves to secure almost 1 million doses of the mpox vaccine. The doses are expected to come from vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic (215,000 doses), France (100,000 doses), Germany (almost 100,000 doses), and Spain (about 500,000 doses).
But the clock is ticking 
, and there’s no timeline yet on when these vaccines will reach the DRC, the region hit hardest by the virus. Mpox, which causes pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms 
, can be mild but sometimes deadly.
The continent is under pressure to bridge this funding gap and ramp up its response. With the virus spreading and resources dwindling, it's a race against time. Will Africa get the support it needs to stop mpox in its tracks? 
Stay tuned for updates, and let’s hope for a swift global response to support Africa in this critical fight! 
Reference(s):
Africa's mpox response is less than 10% funded, says Africa CDC
cgtn.com
