Weekly health update | Mpox no longer considered a continental public health emergency

Across Africa, the landscape of public health is undergoing significant shifts, from easing emergency statuses to confronting persistent challenges and embracing new technologies. Recent developments highlight both progress in containing outbreaks and the ongoing need for vigilance, robust aid, and innovative solutions.

Mpox Emergency Eases, Focus Shifts to Long-Term Control

The African Union’s health agency, Africa CDC, has lifted the continental public health emergency classification for mpox. This decision, guided by advice from its Emergency Consultative Group, signals a transition from crisis management to a longer-term, country-led response. Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya emphasized this shift allows for a recalibration of surveillance efforts.

Did You Know? More than $1 billion was mobilized during the mpox emergency phase, alongside a tenfold increase in sequencing capacity.

During the emergency phase, substantial gains were made, including the deployment of over 5 million vaccine doses across 16 countries and a research effort involving more than 2,000 scientists. Between early and late 2025, suspected cases fell by 40%, and confirmed cases declined by 60%, with the fatality rate among suspected cases dropping from 2.6% to 0.6%. A transition roadmap will now guide ongoing surveillance, vaccination, and preparedness, with a greater emphasis on local production.

Cholera Transmission: The Role of Flies

New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa suggests that cholera transmission in Africa may be more complex than previously understood. The study indicates that flies can mechanically carry the bacteria responsible for cholera, moving between contaminated environments and food sources. Researchers examined fly contamination rates, their ability to deposit bacteria, and their survival rates, finding that higher contamination and deposition rates correlate with escalating outbreaks.

This finding is particularly relevant given the record resurgence of cholera in Africa, with around 300,000 confirmed and suspected cases reported across 20 countries in 2025 – the highest level in 25 years. The study’s authors note that weak water systems, poor sanitation, rapid urbanization, and climate shocks contribute to unpredictable transmission dynamics, calling for stronger early-warning systems and improved forecasting.

U.S. Aid Cuts Impact Global Health

Cuts in U.S. international aid in 2025 have had cascading effects on global health and humanitarian action, according to a recent publication from Doctors Without Borders (MSF). In Somalia, interruptions in funding halted therapeutic milk deliveries for several months, coinciding with a rise in severe malnutrition admissions. Similar disruptions were reported in South Sudan, where maternity care was impacted by staff funding cuts, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an order for 100,000 emergency kits for rape survivors was cancelled.

Expert Insight: The shift in U.S. funding toward a more transactional, bilateral approach, coupled with a lack of comparable support from other donors, creates a precarious situation for vulnerable populations relying on essential health services.

MSF reports that this disruption extends beyond budget reallocations, reflecting a broader shift in donor “doctrine” with conditionalities that may not align with public health priorities.

Progress and Challenges Across the Continent

Algeria is making significant strides toward eliminating viral hepatitis, with treatment response rates improving dramatically from around 5% in the early 1990s to a current goal of elimination. This progress is attributed to local drug production and improved diagnostic tools, including a national vaccination program initiated in 2003. In contrast, the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a rise in tuberculosis cases in the Masisi health zone, hampered by shortages of anti-tuberculosis medicines due to ongoing insecurity. Severe floods in Mozambique have also disrupted healthcare access, with medicine shortages and impassable roads hindering the delivery of essential services.

In Nigeria’s Benue State, health authorities are investigating seven new suspected cases of Lassa fever, activating enhanced surveillance and community outreach. Finally, Senegal has seen a more than 50% decline in maternal mortality in less than a decade, a success attributed to a more respectful maternity care approach supported by the World Health Organization and other donors.

East Africa Faces a Complex Crisis

East Africa continues to grapple with a complex humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 48.5 million people requiring assistance, representing around 20% of the global total. The situation is driven by climate change, conflict, political instability, disease outbreaks, and economic shocks. Nearly 36 million people are expected to face crisis levels of food insecurity between June 2025 and February 2026, and displacement has exceeded 25 million. The region also accounts for more than one-third of global cholera cases in 2025, with close to 180,000 cases reported.

Frequently Asked Questions

What prompted the Africa CDC to lift the mpox emergency status?

The Africa CDC lifted the emergency status following advice from its Emergency Consultative Group, indicating a shift towards a longer-term, country-led response due to declining case numbers and successful intervention efforts.

According to the study, how do flies contribute to cholera transmission?

The study suggests flies can mechanically carry the bacteria responsible for cholera by moving rapidly between contaminated environments and food, potentially escalating outbreaks when fly populations are high and transmission rates are efficient.

What impact have U.S. aid cuts had on health services in affected regions?

U.S. aid cuts have led to disruptions in essential health services, including halted therapeutic milk deliveries in Somalia, staffing shortages in South Sudan, and cancelled orders for emergency kits in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Doctors Without Borders.

As African nations navigate these complex health challenges, the interplay of disease outbreaks, humanitarian crises, and evolving aid landscapes will continue to shape the continent’s public health future. What role can international collaboration play in bolstering resilience and ensuring equitable access to healthcare across the region?