In line with efforts to curtail the Monkeypox outbreak, Singapore’s Ministry entered partnership with the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to strengthen its capacity for enhanced mpox case management.
According to a press release on the Africa CDC website on Friday, Singapore provided a support package consisting of mpox diagnostic kits and testing supplies, enabling up to 50,000 tests.
The ongoing mpox outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by Africa CDC on August 13, 2024. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024, due to its global spread.
As of November 2024, the outbreak has affected 19 African Union member states. There are over 12,000 confirmed cases since the start of the year. This increase is primarily driven by outbreaks in the member states, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi.
The statement disclosed that, one of the significant challenges in controlling the mpox outbreak in Africa had been the shortage of essential testing supplies.
“This has hindered efforts to expand lab testing, detect cases, and trace contacts.
“These are vital for effective case management and tracing to strengthen public health measures. In response, Africa CDC and WHO have initiated a joint continental plan prioritising the expansion of mpox testing”, the statement disclosed.
The laboratory testing strategy includes; scaling up mpox testing capacity by supporting centralised Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) sites, activating additional testing sites, deploying near point-of-care testing, training laboratory personnel, and providing adequate testing supplies.
Reacting to the development, Director General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya stated, “For the first time, we have developed a comprehensive continental response plan for disease outbreaks, addressing all pillars of outbreak response, including enhanced diagnostics and genome sequencing.
“We thank the Ministry of Health, Singapore, for its generous contribution. We hope this will pave way for broader cooperation between African Union member states and Singapore in strengthening public health initiatives.”
On his part, Singapore’s Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung said, “Singapore’s contribution to the Africa CDC underscores our commitment to strong international cooperation in public health. We recognise the challenges faced by African Union Member States in managing the mpox clade I situation, particularly in testing and diagnosing suspected patients.
“Through this contribution, we hope to help bolster Africa CDC’s capacity for effective case management. By helping other countries, we also strengthen our own region’s resilience. Global health security must always be a shared international responsibility.
