By Ebi Kesiena
Medical staff in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are urgently appealing for vaccines to curb the rapid spread of mpox, as cases continue to rise at an alarming rate.
At a treatment center in South Kivu province, the epicenter of the outbreak, healthcare workers reported a daily influx of patients, including many infants.
They face a severe shortage of essential equipment to manage the situation. Although 200,000 vaccines, donated by the European Commission, arrived in the capital, Kinshasa, last week, logistical challenges mean it could take several weeks for them to reach affected areas in South Kivu.
“We’ve learned from social media that the vaccine is already available,” lamented Emmanuel Fikiri, a nurse at a clinic repurposed to handle the mpox outbreak.
Fikiri, treating mpox patients for the first time, expressed his fear of contracting the virus and transmitting it to his young children, aged seven, five, and one. “You saw how I touched the patients because that’s my job as a nurse. So, we’re asking the government to help us by first giving us the vaccines,” he pleaded.
The delay in transporting the vaccines is due to the need to maintain them at a precise temperature – below freezing – to ensure their effectiveness. Additionally, the vaccines must be delivered to rural areas in South Kivu, such as Kamituga, Kavumu, and Lwiro, where the outbreak is most severe. Poor infrastructure and challenging road conditions might necessitate the use of helicopters, further driving up costs in a country already struggling financially.
At the community clinic, Dr. Pacifique Karanzo appeared exhausted, having worked non-stop all morning. Despite wearing a face shield, sweat could be seen running down his face. He expressed deep concern over the dire conditions, where patients were forced to share beds and some even slept on the floor.
“The only support we have received so far is a little medicine for the patients and water. As far as other challenges are concerned, there’s still no staff motivation,” he said.
Dr. Karanzo also highlighted another pressing issue: the lack of sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) for the medical staff, leaving them vulnerable to infection as they care for the growing number of patients.
