Attachments
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. This week’s articles cover:
Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Measles in Mauritania
Humanitarian Situation in South Sudan
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 and challenges include
Mauritania’s efforts to control the ongoing measles outbreak are challenged by several factors including, a delayed follow-up vaccination campaign since planned for 2023 has contributed to low national vaccination coverage. At the same time, inadequate isolation facilities in health centers, insufficient public awareness about vaccination, particularly in remote areas, and inconsistent data reporting from health facilities complicate effective monitoring and response to the outbreak.
South Sudan is facing overcrowding challenges mostly experienced in refugee transit centers. New arrivals fleeing from the ongoing conflict in Sudan primarily via Joda in Upper Nile State are being hosted in Renk and Malakal Counties. This has overwhelmed local communities due to increased insecurity and limited capacity to transport arrivals to their final destinations. Insecurity has also led to disruption of aid flow especially food assistance raising concerns in Renk, Abyei, and Malakal with some arrivals waiting extended periods for relocation causing them to deplete their supplies. Access to medical supplies has also been an issue and shortages of anti-rabies, antivenom, and antimalarial drugs were reported in Maban refugee settlements. Overcrowding in transit centers poses protection risks, especially for women and children who are exposed to sexual assault and violence. The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan is a complex situation that requires urgent response, increased funding, and improved coordination.