Congo’s mpox vaccination campaign is progressing slower than anticipated, with limited public awareness hampering efforts, according to Cris Kacita, head of the country’s mpox response team.
Launched earlier this month in the eastern region, the campaign has faced challenges as many residents in North Kivu are either unaware or suspicious of the vaccine. “The awareness campaign has been carried out, but only timidly. These are gaps that need to be filled,” Kacita said, adding that the vaccination effort will likely extend beyond the planned 10-day timeline.
A Reuters reporter visiting a vaccination site in North Kivu found that many locals had not received any information about the inoculation. Simon Ngagijimana Chui, a camp chief in the region, expressed concern, saying, “I know nothing about this vaccine. No one has come to educate me about any vaccination against mpox.”
With just 265,000 doses available in a country of nearly 100 million people, the campaign is crucial in controlling the outbreak, which has spread across several African nations this year. Local health workers in Kibati have begun recruiting trusted community members, such as volunteer Benire Furahini Buchaguzi, to raise awareness about the vaccine’s benefits. Buchaguzi, 22, uses her own vaccination experience to encourage others, showing her certificate to inspire confidence.
Despite these efforts, many, like young mother Florence Frebo Uwimana, remain uninformed. “This is the first time I’m hearing about the vaccine,” she said, adding that authorities had only urged them to take anyone showing symptoms to the hospital.
Mpox, which causes flu-like symptoms and lesions, can spread through close contact. While typically mild, it has been fatal in some cases. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 42,400 suspected and confirmed mpox cases in 2024, with 1,100 deaths, the majority occurring in Congo.
Healthcare workers in Goma, the provincial capital, worry that the lack of public knowledge will hinder efforts to contain the outbreak. Dr. Hassan Amisi Djuma, a public health expert, warned that, “If the population hasn’t been informed about a disease, the risk is it may spread among them.”
