DRC mpox: Vaccination campaign starts in hard hit South Kivu
The official launch of the mpox, or monkeypox vaccination campaign took place on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at the Lwiro hospital center in South Kivu province, the epicenter of this disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by the director of the cabinet of the national ministry of health.
The first phase of this campaign targets a total of 47,911 people.
According to Théophile Muzaliwa, provincial minister in charge of Health, this first phase only concerns 4 health zones, namely Miti-Murhesa, Nyangezi, Kamanyola and Uvira.
He said that nurses and healthcare workers will also be vaccinated, as they are more exposed. According to him, the other 30 health zones in South Kivu will be targeted for vaccination gradually.
To date, South Kivu has already recorded 7,889 cases of Monkeypox including 43 deaths, since January 2024.