This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. This week’s articles cover:
- Measles in Kenya
- Cholera in The United Republic of Tanzania
- Humanitarian Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
For each of these events, a brief description, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation, is provided.
A table is provided at the end of the bulletin with information on all new and ongoing public health events currently being monitored in the region, as well as recent events that have been controlled and closed.
Major issues include
- The humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains complex. It continues to escalate with the report of new waves of armed violence and natural disasters, mainly in the eastern part of the country. The eastern provinces, particularly North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri are experiencing severe insecurity due to ongoing clashes between armed groups such as the Movement of 23 March (M23), the Allied Democratic Forces, and the Government military forces. Recent intercommunity violence has been reported in the Ituri and Tshopo provinces. This situation has exacerbated the internal population displacement crisis. Furthermore, since the beginning of the year, the province of Tanganyika has been facing natural disasters due to unprecedented floods. The situation is getting worse as the province continues to record heavy rainfall. All these humanitarian situations are ongoing in a concerning epidemiological country profile dominated by cholera, measles, and Mpox outbreaks.
- The United Republic of Tanzania has managed to control cholera outbreaks in more than half of its regions that have battled cholera outbreaks since September 2023. However, fatalities continue in active regions. Addressing risk factors such as the displacement of fishing communities in Kagera is crucial to prevent further spread. Ongoing challenges include financial deficits, limited access to clean water, and insufficient laboratory resources. To effectively mitigate the outbreak, mobilising resources for surveillance, diagnostic kits, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene activities is essential for sustained control efforts.