The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is urgently appealing for $18.5 million to provide essential health-care services to migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities in East, Horn, and Southern Africa who are at significant risk of mpox. This appeal comes in response to the rapid spread of a new strain of the disease, which has prompted the World Health Organization to declare mpox a public health emergency of international concern on 14 August.
The disease has been a persistent issue in the region for over a decade, with more than 15,000 suspected cases reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone, resulting in 537 deaths. Other affected countries include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. Mpox is primarily transmitted from animals to humans but can also spread through close contact with infected individuals or animals, respiratory droplets, and body fluids. Symptoms of the disease include fever, rash, headaches, sore throat, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and back pain.
IOM Director General Amy Pope emphasized the urgency of addressing this crisis, particularly for vulnerable and highly mobile populations who are often at greater risk due to their living conditions and limited access to health care. The organization’s appeal aims to mitigate the impact of the outbreak by enhancing the capacity to respond to the needs of migrants, IDPs, and host communities. This includes supporting infection prevention and control measures, particularly at border areas, strengthening the capacity of national healthcare workers, and improving disease monitoring and cross-border coordination.
The funds will also be used to raise awareness among affected communities and to implement the IOM’s Health, Border, and Mobility Management Framework. This framework is designed to strengthen health systems along key migration and mobility routes in the region, combining an understanding of population mobility with effective disease surveillance.
Given the heightened vulnerability of migrants and IDPs in the region, it is crucial that they receive the necessary health care and protection, especially in areas with limited access to services. The IOM’s Mpox Preparedness and Response Plan outlines the steps needed to address this public health emergency and protect those most at risk.