EXPERT COMMENT
The declaration of the rapidly spreading mpox outbreak in Africa as a public health emergency will test global solidarity in the wake of COVID-19 - and could provide a litmus test for the effectiveness of a future pandemic treaty.
In a historic move, on 13 August 2024 the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) proclaimed its first Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) over the outbreak of mpox. This declaration signals a change towards more continental autonomy in handling health emergencies and represents a turning point in the governance of public health in Africa.
The African Union (AU) gave its CDC the power to declare a health emergency in 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new mandate has not been without controversy.
Concerns have been raised about potential overlaps with the WHO mandate, particularly regarding its authority to declare global health emergencies, underscoring the complex dynamics of global health governance and the evolving role of regional bodies in managing public health crises.
From the beginning of 2022 to the end of July 2024, there have been more than 37,000 cases and almost 1,500 deaths from mpox reported from 15 AU member states, mostly in the central African region, but with cases reported across the continent. The spread of the disease is accelerating and one of the variants circulating has the potential to evolve into an even more infectious and virulent form.
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