MPOX TRACKER

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), healthcare workers are facing a dual challenge in their fight against mpox: the virus itself and a wave of misinformation. As the first of millions of promised vaccine doses arrive, the focus has shifted to ensuring uptake and educating communities about protection measures.

The scale of the problem is significant, with about 26,000 mpox cases reported across the DRC this year. However, conspiracy theories are spreading rapidly, complicating the response efforts. These include claims that mpox was invented by white people to sterilize Congolese through vaccines, or that it's merely a pharmaceutical industry scheme for profit. This mistrust in medical institutions often stems from the legacy of racist colonial policies.

A recent poll by Unicef, surveying almost 200,000 people in the DRC, revealed that only 56% had heard of mpox. Knowledge about symptoms, transmission, and prevention was inconsistent across the population.

Several factors contribute to the challenge of disseminating reliable information:
1. The DRC's vast size and numerous remote areas that are hard to access
2. Low mobile phone penetration, with less than half the population owning a device
3. Displacement of many people due to ongoing conflicts
4. A general lack of trust between politicians and the population

Healthcare professionals like Dr. Junior Mudji, chief of research at Vanga hospital, are working to combat these myths. Through initiatives like radio phone-ins, they're striving to provide accurate information about mpox's origins and the current outbreak.

As the vaccination campaign prepares to launch, targeting frontline health workers and high-risk groups initially, officials are focusing on myth-busting and educating the public about prevention methods like regular hand-washing. The success of these efforts will be crucial in controlling the outbreak and protecting vulnerable populations in the DRC.