The European Union has announced two new projects to support the fight against mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with coordinated actions in six heavily affected provinces.
The projects, valued at €20 million ($21.7 million), will focus on Equateur, North Kivu, Sankuru, and South Kivu, among other regions.
Implemented by partners including UNICEF and the World Health Organization, the initiative aims to strengthen the country’s health system against current and future epidemics.
EU Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga Martinez emphasized the importance of reinforcing local structures to ensure an effective response to outbreaks.
“The EU and its Member States have undertaken this action to help the DRC deal with this epidemic, but above all, to strengthen its structures for responding to health crises,” he said.
The funding will support the DRC’s Ministry of Public Health and National Institute of Public Health, focusing on early detection, prevention, and treatment.
Efforts will also address stigma surrounding the disease, which has hindered response efforts.
Since September, the EU and its member states have delivered 322,300 mpox vaccine doses to the DRC, contributing to a broader commitment of 580,000 doses for the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
