Attachments
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region.
This week’s articles cover:
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Mpox in Sierra Leone
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Cholera in Angola
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Complex Humanitarian Crisis in Mali
For each of these events, a brief description is provided, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation.
At the end of the bulletin, a table provides 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
Mpox in Sierra Leone: The mpox outbreak in Sierra Leone presents several critical challenges requiring urgent intervention. The number of cases reported continue to increase, particularly in the urban and peri-urban districts with high population density and mobility. Enhanced surveillance has revealed a wider extent of infections, but stigma and misinformation are challenging timely detection and response efforts. While initial vaccine doses have been delivered, the country has yet to launch a vaccination campaign.
Strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in healthcare settings, expediting vaccination campaign, and scaling up risk communication and community engagement to combat misinformation are urgent priorities. Additionally, sustained investment in laboratory capacity and genomic surveillance will be essential for tracking virus evolution and informing targeted public health interventions.
Complex Humanitarian Crisis in Mali: The humanitarian crisis in Mali remains severe, driven by ongoing armed conflict, climate-related disasters, and disease outbreaks, with millions in need of assistance. Insecurity, including attacks on humanitarian actors and restricted access due to explosive devices, is hindering aid delivery, particularly in conflictaffected regions. Flooding has exacerbated food insecurity, leading to rising malnutrition rates, with a significant increase in severe acute malnutrition cases among children.
Concurrent disease outbreaks, including meningitis, measles, and dengue, pose additional threats, with limited resources to support surveillance and response. The humanitarian response remains critically underfunded, further strained by recent cuts in US funding, leading to the suspension of key activities of some non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Despite efforts from WHO, UNICEF, and partners, gaps in health service delivery, vaccination, and nutritional support persist. Urgent priorities include mobilizing additional financial and technical resources, ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access, strengthening disease surveillance, and scaling up food and health interventions to mitigate worsening health outcomes.