UNHCR Appeals for $21.4 Million to Combat Mpox Crisis Among Refugees in Africa
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has issued an urgent appeal for $21.4 million to enhance health services for forcibly displaced individuals in African nations affected by the mpox emergency. The requested funds are intended to bolster critical response and prevention efforts for 9.9 million refugees and host communities across 35 countries on the continent. Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral illness that spreads through direct contact with infected individuals, animals, or contaminated objects.
The outbreak of a new strain of mpox, clade 1b, has exacerbated the situation. Although the disease has been present in Africa for decades, the rising cases of this new strain, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency on August 14. This year, Africa has reported over 20,000 suspected cases, with at least 88 involving refugees, predominantly in the DRC, and additional cases in the Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
The new outbreak has placed refugees and displaced communities at heightened risk due to overcrowded living conditions that often lack adequate access to clean water, soap, and nutritious food. According to Allen Maina, UNHCR’s public health chief, these vulnerable populations are already struggling with limited healthcare access, making it more challenging for them to protect themselves and stay healthy amidst the crisis.
In response, UNHCR has been collaborating with national and local authorities, UN agencies, and other partners to address the severe outbreak. Measures include increasing handwashing stations in refugee camps, distributing soap, improving diagnostic testing, and enhancing disease surveillance and community health worker training. The agency is calling on the international community to provide additional funding to support these efforts and integrate refugees into national preparedness and response plans.
