Without immediate action, children and young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could succumb to the rising cases of the Mpox virus as the new school term poses more risk to their well-being.
Development Diaries reports that cases of the Mpox virus have skyrocketed about 75-fold in children and young people aged under 19 in the most severely impacted province in the country, according to Save the Children.
We understand that cases in the eastern province of South Kivu are spreading over twice as fast in children as in the general population.
As schools resume for the new term this week, there is a growing concern for the safety of children, especially as many schools do not have access to running water, disinfectant, or basic measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
‘This country has borne the brunt of health crises before – from Ebola to cholera to measles. Enough is enough – this deadly new mpox strain should be the ultimate call for the world to commit to investing in disease control and prevention so that children and families do not suffer needlessly’, Save the Children Country Director in DRC, Greg Ramm, said in a statement.
‘It’s high time children in the DRC stopped being another forgotten crisis. The world must also invest in long-term solutions, such as equitable access to vaccines and increased testing capacities’.
The issue of sociocultural stigma is also impacting efforts made towards curbing the spread of the disease as some people have opted to seek help from traditional medicine practitioners or self-medication.
With the delivery of vaccines to the DRC and neighbouring countries now delayed, the international community must step up funding so that schools can have adequate clean water, hygiene and sanitation measures for children in the next few weeks.
Development Diaries calls on the health ministry in the country to ensure that children only resume at schools with adequate preventive measures put in place to avoid putting more children at risk of the disease.
We also urge international donor organisations and development partners to provide much-needed support in responding to and curbing the spread of the Mpox virus across the country.
Photo source: Save the Children
