The 74th session of the World Health Organization’s Regional Committee for Africa commenced on Monday, August 26, in Brazzaville, Congo.
Over the next five days, nearly 1,000 delegates, including WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and health ministers from 47 member countries, will gather to discuss pressing health issues.
Among the key topics on the agenda is the global mpox epidemic.
WHO Regional Director for Africa emphasized the organization’s commitment to addressing mpox effectively, drawing from past experiences and collaborating closely with member states.
The session will focus on providing solutions to the health challenges facing the African continent, including strengthening health systems, amplifying Africa’s voice in global health governance, and tackling preventable child mortality.
Africa’s Expertise in Epidemic Management
Africa has a long history of combating infectious diseases such as malaria, meningitis, and cholera. Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, expressed confidence in the continent’s ability to handle the mpox epidemic, highlighting Africa’s expertise in managing such crises.
The recent emergence of a more virulent mpox strain in central and eastern Africa, coupled with high contamination rates in countries like the United States, prompted the WHO to declare a global health emergency.
