The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has officially lifted the designation of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). This decision follows recommendations made by the Emergency Consultative Group of the organization.
This declaration was announced by the Director General of Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, through a statement shared on the agency's official website on Friday.
According to Mr. Kaseya, this pivotal decision underscores Africa's increased capability to handle complex public health issues, attributed to improved health systems, proactive political leadership, regional collaboration, and effective international partnerships.
"As per the recommendation from the Africa CDC Emergency Consultative Group, I am announcing the cessation of the classification of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security," he stated.
Background to the Emergency Declaration
The declaration of Mpox as an emergency at the continental level in August 2024 marked a significant milestone. It was the first instance where the Africa CDC utilized its expanded mandate from 2022 to declare and manage a comprehensive response to a public health crisis.
This response was initiated amid a surge in Mpox cases across the continent, which recorded over 80,000 suspected infections and 1,340 fatalities in 2024. These figures eclipsed previous year statistics by more than fivefold in terms of cases and doubled deaths.
Notably, the Democratic Republic of the Congo experienced the most severe impact, accounting for 96% of all cases and 97% of deaths during this period.
Longstanding Gaps in Mpox Response
The Africa CDC indicated that for many years, outbreaks of Mpox on the continent were met with minimal international focus and inadequate investment in systems for surveillance, diagnostics, clinical care, and response efforts.
The agency pointed out that African nations faced significant barriers in accessing vaccines, diagnostics, and treatment options available in other regions, despite bearing a disproportionately high burden of the disease.
These persistent inequalities, coupled with evolving epidemiological trends, amplified the magnitude, dispersion, and severity of recent outbreaks, especially among the most vulnerable groups in society.
Coordinated Continental Action
In reaction to the escalating outbreak, African leaders gathered for a High Level Emergency Regional Ministerial Meeting on Mpox in Kinshasa in April 2024. This meeting proved critical for fostering political resolve and promoting coordinated actions throughout the continent.
As cases continued to mount, the Africa CDC mobilized its Emergency Consultative Group, which evaluated the changing circumstances and recommended the pronouncement of a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.
Significant strides have been made since the declaration through the concerted efforts of the African Union leadership, member states, communities, healthcare professionals, scientists, and other partners, working via an Incident Management Support Team co-led by Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO).
This collaborative approach led to an influx of over $1 billion in funding, bolstered community-based surveillance with digitized health workers, and enhanced laboratory and genomic sequencing capabilities over tenfold. Moreover, the initiative resulted in the distribution of more than five million doses of Mpox vaccines across 16 nations and the development of a unified research agenda involving over 2,000 scientists from Africa and globally.
Impact and Transition
The Africa CDC highlighted that these collective actions yielded tangible results. From early to late 2025, there was a observed 40% decline in suspected Mpox cases and a 60% reduction in confirmed cases. Furthermore, the case fatality rate for suspected infections also significantly decreased from 2.6% to 0.6%.
Despite the substantial progress, the agency emphasized that the lifting of the emergency status does not indicate the eradication of Mpox from Africa. The disease continues to exist in several regions, necessitating ongoing vigilance and investments to avert resurgence.
Next Steps
To build on the achievements realized during the emergency phase, the Africa CDC plans to implement a Mpox Transition Roadmap in partnership with the WHO and other stakeholders. This roadmap will steer sustained prevention, preparedness, and control efforts while reinforcing national frameworks for surveillance, laboratory work, research, and risk communication.
Vaccination remains a core component of this strategy alongside efforts to generate robust evidence regarding the efficacy and duration of vaccine- induced immunity, as well as to accelerate domestic vaccine production as part of Africa’s health security strategy.
Additionally, the Africa CDC has stated that the insights gained from the Mpox response will be adapted across other diseases prone to epidemics such as cholera, diphtheria, measles, and polio.
Mr. Kaseya expressed gratitude towards the African Union's leadership, member countries, communities, and partners for their contributions to the response, remarking that the progress achieved signifies a shift in Africa from merely responding to emergencies to focusing on elimination, from dependency to autonomy, and from vulnerability to resilience.
Mpox
Mpox, according to the WHO, is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, classified under the Orthopoxvirus genus. The disease is endemic in certain regions of Central and West Africa and is transmissible through close physical interactions, which include direct contact with skin lesions, bodily fluids, contaminated materials, and infected animals.
Typical symptoms entail fever, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that can evolve into painful skin lesions. While most cases are mild and resolve by themselves, Mpox can lead to severe health complications or even death, particularly affecting children, pregnant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems.
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