Social Media Watch: Vaccines, Conspiracies and Distrust: Social Media's Take on the Mpox Crisis in Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, DRC, Nigeria and Uganda - Protecting the humanitarian space during a public health emergency, September-October 2024

Common negative sentiments toward the public health response
Across countries, comments from social media users reveal how politics and a lack of trust shape attitudes to health responses. Users with negative views on the public health response demonstrated the following:

• vaccine mistrust, focusing on concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines;
• belief in conspiracy theories claiming that global organisations exploit mpox vaccines for control or profit;
• anti-foreign sentiment rooted in historical distrust of Western powers, leading to scepticism about foreign aid and a preference for local solutions;
• accusations of corruption, alleging that local authorities are exploiting the crisis for personal financial or political gain; and
• criticism of poor national health care systems, emphasising inadequate infrastructure and resources.

Country-specific narratives

• Uganda and Cameroon: Local political and social dynamics shaped attitudes. In Cameroon, widespread complaints were directed at the Ministry of Health, while in Uganda, the response was highly politicised.
• DRC: Strong distrust was evident toward the public health campaign.
• Cameroon: Concerns were heightened by fears of cross-border transmission.
• Burundi: Several social media users expressed gratitude for specific local initiatives.

Volume and reach of social media discourse on mpox

• Activity levels: Social media discussions about mpox were most widespread in Nigeria, the DRC, and Uganda, where over 1,000 posts were identified. In contrast, activity was significantly lower in Burundi (246 posts), Cameroon (144 posts), and the CAR (60 posts).
• Factors influencing volume: The volume of posts and discussions reflects a combination of factors, including:
  • the prominence of mpox in the national discourse, which was often linked to the outbreak's severity;
  • a country’s population size; and
  • the extent of internet availability and use, and social media’s role in public discourse.
• Reach vs influence: A higher volume of posts indicates broader reach among the population. However, volume alone does not determine the persuasiveness of opinions. The credibility and characteristics of those sharing opinions significantly influence how others are affected by them.