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République démocratique du Congo (RD Congo) : de la peur à l’espoir, la riposte qui a vaincu le virus mpox à Mbandaka

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

À Mbandaka, ces derniers mois ont mis à rude épreuve les soignants du centre Mama wa Elikya. Face à l’épidémie de virus mpox (anciennement variole du singe), qui se propageait chaque jour un peu plus dans ce chef-lieu de la province de l’Équateur, les personnels de santé ont travaillé dans un climat de peur et d’incertitude, redoutant chaque nouvelle admission dans leurs services.

Monique Mulo Itala, infirmière titulaire au centre de santé, était en première ligne. Comme ses collègues, cette quinquagénaire, mariée et mère de cinq enfants, a vécu la période avec une anxiété constante, partagée entre son devoir professionnel et la crainte de ramener la maladie chez elle.

« Je craignais d’entrer dans le site d’isolement. Même avec ma tenue de protection, j’appréhendais de donner les traitements ou de poser une perfusion aux malades. En rentrant à la maison, j’étais tourmentée. J’avais peur de contaminer ma famille, je leur demandais de ne pas m’approcher », se souvient-elle.

Face à la forte hausse des cas de mpox en République démocratique du Congo (8 517 cas suspects, 1 439 cas confirmés en 2024 et 417 décès entre janvier et novembre l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), a déclaré la mpox comme une urgence sanitaire de portée internationale le 14 août 2024.

Dans la même période, l’Equateur cumulait 1 262 cas de mpox confirmés et 374 décès, soit 36 % du total des décès du pays.

« Nous avons reçu beaucoup de cas, 198 au total. Nous étions inquiets, car certains patients pouvaient être infectés sans présenter de signes évidents. Malgré cela, nous avons continué à isoler les malades, à leur administrer les soins, à leur donner des conseils sur l’hygiène et la prévention, en attendant les vaccins », explique Monique.

La Banque africaine de développement et l’OMS ont uni leurs efforts pour soutenir le gouvernement congolais et organiser la riposte dans la province de l’Équateur entre janvier et juillet 2025, dans le cadre du Projet d’aide d’urgence pour la lutte contre la variole simienne (MPOX) (https://apo-opa.co/4qbIs3u), financé par un don d’un million de dollars provenant du Fonds spécial de secours de la Banque.

L’intervention a ciblé les populations les plus exposées : personnel de santé de première ligne, groupes à haut risque, enfants, vétérinaires, chasseurs et commerçants de gibier. Elle s’est articulée autour de quatre axes clés : diagnostic précoce, vaccination, prévention et contrôle des infections, et coordination multisectorielle.

Cette mobilisation collective a porté ses fruits. En octobre 2025, tous les cas suspects nouvellement identifiés ont bénéficié d’une confirmation rapide en laboratoire, d’un traitement adapté et de la vaccination systématique des personnes contact. Cette approche intégrée a entraîné une forte diminution du nombre de nouvelles infections, ainsi qu’une réduction notable du nombre de décès. Au total, dans la province de l’Équateur, le nombre de cas confirmés de mpox a chuté de 60 % et seuls 14 décès ont été enregistrés en 2025, contre 417 à la même période en 2024.

Aujourd’hui, le regard de Monique a changé : les heures sombres de la crise sanitaire appartiennent au passé. Depuis le lancement de la riposte, elle aborde son travail avec davantage de sérénité.

« L’arrivée des vaccins nous a soulagés. Ils nous ont permis de nous protéger et de protéger nos familles. Nous n’avons plus peur de recevoir nos patients en consultation parce que notre organisme a développé des anticorps contre le mpox », assure-t-elle, plus confiante.

Plus de 13406 personnes ont été vaccinées dans la province de l’Équateur, dont 3 718 membres du personnel de première ligne.

Dans les villages comme dans les zones urbaines, les équipes ont parcouru les communautés pour informer, rassurer et protéger. Plus d’un million de personnes ont été sensibilisées, contribuant à dissiper les rumeurs et à encourager les comportements préventifs.

Pour renforcer la détection rapide, trois laboratoires, à Mbandaka, Ingende et Bikoro, ont été équipés et mis à niveau. Des milliers de kits de prévention ont été distribués tandis que 4 800 cartouches GeneXpert ont permis un diagnostic plus rapide des cas suspects.

« Notre centre a reçu des kits de prévention et de contrôle des infections pour mieux prendre en charge les patients, ainsi que des vaccins pour immuniser les enfants zéro dose. Sur 100 enfants identifiés dans nos registres et retrouvés dans la communauté, nous en avons vacciné 88, les autres ayant quitté la zone au moment de l’intervention », précise Monique.

Au-delà de la baisse des cas, la province de l’Équateur ressort plus résiliente : les structures sanitaires sont mieux équipées, le personnel mieux formé et les communautés davantage préparées face aux prochaines épidémies.

Aujourd’hui, l’Équateur ne célèbre pas seulement le recul du virus mpox. La province célèbre aussi la solidarité, la résilience et la force de ses communautés. Pour Monique et tant d’autres, la peur a laissé place à l’espoir. « Nous disons à la communauté qu’il faut se vacciner pour se protéger, qu’il faut être fier d’être vacciné. Vacciner, c’est se protéger. Vacciner, c’est aimer », conclut-elle, avec optimisme.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Images supplémentaires :
https://apo-opa.co/4q9QLwD 
https://apo-opa.co/3MKs6Ak
 

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O Centro Médico Africano de Excelência (AMCE) alcança dois marcos importantes ao concluir a sua primeira cirurgia de coração aberto e realizar a primeira Radioterapia Estereotáxica Corporal (SBRT) da África Ocidental para o cancro do pulmão

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

Apenas seis meses depois da sua inauguração em Junho deste ano, o Centro Médico Africano de Excelência (AMCE) em Abuja está a redefinir os cuidados médicos de primeira classe na África Ocidental, alcançando dois marcos clínicos inovadores. O centro médico de nível terciário de classe mundial desenvolvido pelo Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com)  em parceria com o King’s College Hospital de Londres, o AMCE concluiu com sucesso a sua primeira cirurgia de coração aberto – uma complexa cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio (CABG) e realizou a primeira Radioterapia Estereotáxica Corporal (SBRT) da região para o cancro do pulmão. Estas conquistas reforçam o compromisso do AMCE em fornecer tratamentos complexos e que salvam vidas em África, reduzindo significativamente a necessidade crítica de viagens médicas ao estrangeiro.

Com base nos recentes avanços marcantes do hospital quaternário em termos de atendimento ambulatório e hospitalar, as equipas clínicas do AMCE expandiram rapidamente a capacidade do Centro para prestar cuidados de alta complexidade tanto em medicina cardiovascular como em oncologia.

Na área da oncologia, o AMCE realizou com sucesso a primeira Radioterapia Estereotáxica Corporal (SBRT) da África Ocidental para o cancro do pulmão, uma técnica radiocirúrgica altamente avançada que alcança uma precisão de nível cirúrgico sem incisão. O caso marcante envolveu um octogenário com um tumor pulmonar localizado que recebeu tratamento possibilitado por imagens sofisticadas, rastreamento de movimento em tempo real e planeamento de radiação altamente personalizado.

Nos cuidados cardiovasculares, a equipa cardíaca do AMCE continua a expandir as suas capacidades intervencionais e cirúrgicas. Nos seus primeiros seis meses de funcionamento, o hospital realizou mais de dez intervenções cardíacas bem-sucedidas, incluindo angiografias coronárias, inserções de pacemakers permanentes e intervenções coronárias percutâneas (PCI). A conclusão bem-sucedida da sua primeira CABG coloca agora a AMCE entre os poucos centros em África que oferecem um percurso de cuidados cardíacos totalmente integrado, desde diagnósticos avançados e cardiologia intervencionista até cirurgias complexas de coração aberto, tudo numa única instalação.

Em conjunto, estas conquistas reforçam o compromisso do AMCE com cuidados oncológicos de classe mundial e centrados no paciente na África Ocidental e aceleram o seu objectivo de longo prazo de reverter o turismo médico para o exterior e evitar a fuga de cérebros, fornecendo a infra-estrutura, a tecnologia e o ambiente de formação necessários para apoiar os especialistas mais qualificados do continente.

Brian Deaver, Director Executivo do AMCE, comentou: “Realizar a nossa primeira cirurgia de coração aberto e o primeiro tratamento SBRT da África Ocidental representa um momento decisivo para o AMCE e para os cuidados de saúde no continente. Estes marcos reflectem as competências e a dedicação excepcionais das nossas equipas multidisciplinares, que trabalharam incansavelmente para garantir que os pacientes possam ter acesso aos cuidados oncológicos e cardíacos mais avançados aqui mesmo em África. Com os nossos sistemas de oncologia, laboratórios de cateterismo e salas de cirurgia em pleno funcionamento, estamos a colmatar lacunas de longa data no acesso a tratamentos de alta qualidade e a permitir que as pessoas recebam cuidados que salvam vidas perto de casa. O nosso compromisso continua inabalável: investir nas nossas pessoas, tecnologia e infra-estruturas para que os africanos não precisem mais de viajar para o estrangeiro para obter os mais elevados padrões de cuidados de saúde.”

Comentando sobre estes marcos notáveis, Oluranti Doherty, Directora-Geral de Desenvolvimento das Exportações do Afreximbank, afirmou: “O sucesso do AMCE na realização da sua primeira cirurgia de coração aberto e do primeiro tratamento SBRT da África Ocidental demonstra o impacto transformador do investimento do Afreximbank em infra-estruturas médicas de classe mundial. Estas conquistas mostram o que é possível quando desenvolvemos capacidades a nível local, reduzindo a dependência do continente do turismo médico no estrangeiro, retendo conhecimentos clínicos vitais e reforçando o ecossistema de saúde mais alargado de África. O AMCE está a promover uma nova era de dignidade na saúde para os africanos e estamos orgulhosos em apoiar a sua liderança contínua em cuidados complexos e inovadores.”

O AMCE está igualmente a preparar os doentes para procedimentos mais complexos, incluindo reparações e substituições de válvulas. Ao expandir os seus serviços cardiovasculares e especializados, o hospital reforça o seu compromisso de reduzir o turismo médico, invertendo os 6 a 10 mil milhões de dólares que os africanos gastam anualmente em tratamentos no estrangeiro e a estancar a fuga de cérebros de profissionais médicos, criando oportunidades de carreira de alta qualidade dentro das fronteiras de África.

Os principais serviços do AMCE incluem serviços cardiovasculares, hematologia, oncologia abrangente e serviços médicos gerais. A instalação tem uma capacidade actual de 170 camas, com um plano de expansão para 500 camas. Possui o maior laboratório de células estaminais da região, quinze salas de isolamento pós-células estaminais e três laboratórios de cateterização. As instalações incluem igualmente equipamento de imagiologia especializado, incluindo um cíclotrão de 18 Mev, ressonância magnética de 3 Tesla, tomografia computadorizada de 256 cortes, máquina de braquiterapia com fonte de irídio, 4 cabines de biossegurança e máquinas de tomografia computadorizada de 128 cortes.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Afreximbank.

Sobre o Centro Médico Africano de Excelência (AMCE) de Abuja:
O Centro Médico Africano de Excelência (AMCE) de Abuja é um hospital multiespecializado de nível quaternário, totalmente operacional, no valor de 300 milhões de dólares americanos, desenvolvido pelo Afreximbank em colaboração com o King’s College Hospital de Londres. Desde a sua inauguração em Junho de 2025, o AMCE tem prestado cuidados especializados de classe mundial e estabelecido novos padrões de excelência clínica, resultados para os pacientes e inovação médica em toda África.

Construído para colmatar lacunas críticas no panorama dos cuidados de saúde em África, o AMCE presta serviços abrangentes nas áreas da oncologia, hematologia, cuidados cardiovasculares e medicina geral. O hospital já alcançou marcos clínicos importantes, incluindo cirurgias de coração aberto bem-sucedidas e procedimentos oncológicos avançados, consolidando o seu papel como um centro de cuidados complexos no continente.

A missão do AMCE vai para além do tratamento. Ao oferecer procedimentos que anteriormente exigiam viagens ao estrangeiro, o Centro está a reduzir directamente o turismo médico e a ajudar a reter os melhores talentos médicos. A sua força de trabalho em crescimento, que abrange funções médicas, técnicas e administrativas, está a contribuir para a criação de empregos, a transferência de conhecimentos e o reforço do ecossistema de saúde da Nigéria. Através de investigação, educação e parcerias contínuas, o AMCE está a moldar um futuro mais auto-suficiente, qualificado e saudável para África.

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República Democrática do Congo (RD Congo): do medo à esperança, a resposta que derrotou o vírus varíola dos macacos (mpox) em Mbandaka

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

Em Mbandaka, os últimos meses foram muito difíceis para os profissionais de saúde do centro Mama wa Elikya. Face à epidemia do vírus mpox (anteriormente conhecido como varíola dos macacos), que se propagava cada vez mais nesta capital da província do Equador, os profissionais de saúde trabalharam num clima de medo e incerteza, temendo cada nova admissão nos seus serviços.

Monique Mulo Itala, enfermeira especialista do centro de saúde, estava na linha da frente. Tal como os seus colegas, esta mulher de cinquenta anos, casada e mãe de cinco filhos, viveu este período com uma ansiedade constante, dividida entre o seu dever profissional e o medo de levar a doença para casa.

“Eu tinha medo de entrar no local de isolamento. Mesmo com o meu equipamento de proteção, tinha receio de administrar os tratamentos ou colocar uma perfusão nos doentes. Ao chegar a casa, ficava angustiada. Tinha medo de contaminar a minha família, pedia-lhes para não se aproximarem de mim”, recorda.

Face ao forte aumento dos casos de mpox na RD Congo (8.517 casos suspeitos, 1.439 casos confirmados em 2024 e 417 mortes entre janeiro e novembro), a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) declarou a mpox como uma emergência sanitária de âmbito internacional em 14 de agosto de 2024.

No mesmo período, o Equador registou 1.262 casos confirmados de mpox e 374 mortes, ou seja, 36% do total de mortes no país.

“Recebemos muitos casos, 198 no total. Estávamos preocupados, porque alguns pacientes podiam estar infetados sem apresentar sinais evidentes. Apesar disso, continuámos a isolar os doentes, a prestar-lhes cuidados, a dar-lhes conselhos sobre higiene e prevenção, enquanto aguardávamos as vacinas”, explica Monique.

O Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento e a OMS uniram esforços para apoiar o governo congolês e organizar a resposta na província do Equador entre janeiro e julho de 2025, no âmbito do Projeto de Ajuda de Emergência para o Combate à Varíola Simiana (MPOX) (https://apo-opa.co/4qbIs3u), financiado por uma doação de um milhão de dólares do Fundo Especial de Emergência do Banco.

A intervenção visou as populações mais expostas: profissionais de saúde da linha de frente, grupos de alto risco, crianças, veterinários, caçadores e comerciantes de caça. A resposta articulou-se em torno de quatro eixos principais: diagnóstico precoce, vacinação, prevenção e controlo de infeções e coordenação multissetorial.

Esta mobilização coletiva deu frutos. Em outubro de 2025, todos os casos suspeitos recém-identificados beneficiaram de uma rápida confirmação laboratorial, tratamento adequado e vacinação sistemática das pessoas em contacto. Esta abordagem integrada resultou numa forte diminuição do número de novas infeções, bem como numa redução significativa do número de mortes. No total, na província de Equador, o número de casos confirmados de mpox caiu 60% e apenas 14 mortes foram registadas em 2025, contra 417 no mesmo período em 2024.

Hoje, o olhar de Monique mudou: os momentos sombrios da crise sanitária pertencem ao passado. Desde o lançamento da resposta, ela encara o seu trabalho com mais serenidade.

“A chegada das vacinas aliviou-nos; permitiram proteger-nos a nós mesmos e às nossas famílias. Já não temos medo de receber os nossos pacientes nas consultas porque o nosso organismo desenvolveu anticorpos contra o mpox”, afirma, mais confiante.

Mais de 13.406 pessoas foram vacinadas na província do Equador, incluindo 3.718 membros do pessoal da linha da frente.

Tanto nas aldeias como nas zonas urbanas, as equipas percorreram as comunidades para informar, tranquilizar e proteger. Mais de um milhão de pessoas foram sensibilizadas, o que contribuiu para dissipar os rumores e incentivar comportamentos preventivos.

Para reforçar a deteção rápida, três laboratórios, em Mbandaka, Ingende e Bikoro, foram equipados e modernizados. Milhares de kits de prevenção foram distribuídos, enquanto 4.800 kits GeneXpert permitiram um diagnóstico mais rápido dos casos suspeitos.

“O nosso centro recebeu kits de prevenção e controlo de infeções para cuidar melhor dos pacientes, bem como vacinas para imunizar as crianças. Das 100 crianças identificadas nos nossos registos e encontradas na comunidade, vacinámos 88, tendo as outras deixado a zona no momento da intervenção”, especifica Monique.

Além da diminuição dos casos, a província do Equador mostra-se mais resiliente: as estruturas de saúde estão mais bem equipadas, o pessoal está mais bem treinado e as comunidades estão mais preparadas para enfrentar as próximas epidemias.

Hoje, o Equador não celebra apenas o recuo do vírus mpox. A província celebra também a solidariedade, a resiliência e a força das suas comunidades. Para Monique e tantos outros, o medo deu lugar à esperança. “Dizemos à comunidade que é preciso vacinar-se para se protegerem, que é preciso ter orgulho em estar vacinado. Vacinar é proteger-se. Vacinar é amar”, conclui, com otimismo.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Imagens adicionais:
https://apo-opa.co/4q9QLwD 
https://apo-opa.co/3MKs6Ak

Sobre O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento:
O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento é a principal instituição financeira de desenvolvimento em África. Inclui três entidades distintas: o Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (AfDB), o Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento (ADF) e o Fundo Fiduciário da Nigéria (NTF). Presente no terreno em 41 países africanos, com uma representação externa no Japão, o Banco contribui para o desenvolvimento económico e o progresso social dos seus 54 Estados-membros. Mais informações em https://AfDB.org/pt
 

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The African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) achieves two landmark successes as it completes its first Open-Heart Surgery and delivers West Africa’s first Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for lung Cancer

Source: APO

Only six months since its opening in June this year, the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja is redefining top-class medical care in West Africa, achieving two ground-breaking clinical milestones. The world-class tertiary medical facility developed by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) in partnership with King’s College Hospital London, AMCE has successfully completed its first open-heart surgery – a complex Triple Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) and delivered the region’s first Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer. These achievements underscore AMCE’s commitment to providing complex, life-saving treatments in Africa, significantly reducing the critical need for medical travel abroad.

Building on the quaternary hospital’s recent outpatient and inpatient landmark advancements, AMCE’s clinical teams have rapidly expanded the Centre’s capability to deliver high-acuity care across both cardiovascular medicine and oncology.

On the oncology front, AMCE successfully delivered West Africa’s pioneer SBRT for lung cancer, a highly advanced radio surgical technique that achieves surgical-level precision without incision. The milestone case involved an octogenarian with a localised lung tumour who received treatment enabled by sophisticated imaging, real-time motion tracking, and highly personalised radiation planning.

In cardiovascular care, AMCE’s cardiac team continues to scale its interventional and surgical capabilities. In its first six months of operations, the hospital has performed over ten successful cardiac interventions, including coronary angiographies, permanent pacemaker insertions, and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). The successful completion of its first CABG now places AMCE among the few centres in Africa offering a fully integrated cardiac care pathway from advanced diagnostics and interventional cardiology to complex open-heart surgery within one facility.

Together, these achievements underscore AMCE’s commitment to world-class, patient-centred cancer care in West Africa and accelerates its long-term goal of reversing outbound medical tourism and averting brain drain by providing the infrastructure, technology, and training environment needed to support the continent’s most skilled specialists.

Brian Deaver, Chief Executive Officer of AMCE, commented: ” Delivering our first open-heart surgery and West Africa’s first SBRT treatment represents a defining moment for AMCE and for healthcare on the continent. These milestones reflect the exceptional skill and dedication of our multidisciplinary teams, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that patients can access the most advanced cancer and cardiac care right here in Africa. With our oncology systems, Cath labs, and theatres fully operational, we are closing long-standing gaps in access to high-quality treatment and enabling people to receive life-saving care close to home. Our commitment remains steadfast: to invest in our people, technology, and infrastructure so that Africans no longer need to travel abroad for the highest standards of care.”

Commenting on these remarkable milestones, Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director of Export Development, Afreximbank said “AMCE’s successful delivery of its first open-heart surgery and West Africa’s first SBRT treatment demonstrates the transformative impact of Afreximbank’s investment in world-class medical infrastructure. These achievements show what is possible when we build capacity locally, reducing the continent’s dependence on outbound medical tourism, retaining vital clinical expertise, and strengthening Africa’s broader health ecosystem. AMCE is advancing a new era of health dignity for Africans, and we are proud to support its continued leadership in complex and innovative care.”

AMCE is also in the process of preparing patients for further complex procedures, including valve repairs and replacements. By expanding its cardiovascular and specialised services, the hospital is reinforcing its commitment to curb medical tourism by reversing the estimated US$6–10 billion Africans spend annually seeking treatment abroad and stem the long-standing brain drain of medical professionals by creating high-quality career opportunities within Africa’s borders.

AMCE’s key services include cardiovascular services, haematology, comprehensive oncology, and general medical services. The facility has a current capacity of 170 beds with a plan to expand to 500 beds. It features the largest stem cell laboratory in the region, fifteen post stem cell isolation rooms and three catheterisation laboratories. The facility also includes specialised imaging equipment including an 18 Mev cyclotron, 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 256 slices computed tomography, brachytherapy machine with iridium source, 4 biosafety cabinets and 128 slices computed tomography machines.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

About the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) Abuja:
The African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) Abuja is a US$300 million, fully operational, quaternary -level multi-specialty hospital developed by Afreximbank in collaboration with King’s College Hospital London. Since opening in June 2025, AMCE has been delivering world-class specialist care and setting new benchmarks for clinical excellence, patient outcomes, and medical innovation across Africa.

Built to close critical gaps in Africa’s healthcare landscape, AMCE provides comprehensive services across oncology, haematology, cardiovascular care, and general medicine. The hospital has already achieved major clinical milestones including successful open-heart surgery and advanced oncology procedures cementing its role as a hub for complex care on the continent.

AMCE’s mission goes beyond treatment. By offering procedures that previously required travel abroad, the Centre is directly reducing medical tourism and helping retain top medical talent. Its growing workforce, spanning medical, technical, and administrative roles, is contributing to job creation, knowledge transfer, and the strengthening of Nigeria’s health ecosystem. Through ongoing research, education, and partnerships, AMCE is shaping a more self-sufficient, skilled, and healthier future for Africa.

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From fear to hope: How Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Equateur province turned the tide on mpox

Source: APO

In Mbandaka, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Equateur province, the past few months have tested the resolve of health workers at the Mama wa Elikya centre. As cases of mpox — formerly known as monkeypox– rose steadily, carers worked under the constant shadow of fear and uncertainty, dreading each new admission to their wards.

Among them was Monique Mulo Itala, a registered nurse and mother of five, who found herself on the front line of a fast-moving epidemic. For the 50-year-old, the crisis brought a daily struggle between professional duty and the fear of carrying the virus home.

“I was afraid to enter the isolation site,” she recalls. “Even with my protective clothing, I was apprehensive about administering treatment or putting patients on an infusion. When I got home, I was tormented. I feared infecting my family, so I asked them to stay away from me.”

On 14 August 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, following a sharp surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Between January and November 2024, the country recorded 8,517 suspected cases, 1,439 confirmed infections and 417 deaths.

Equateur province emerged as one of the hardest-hit regions. Over the same period, it reported 1,262 confirmed cases of mpox and 374 deaths, accounting for 36 percent of the national toll.

“We received a large number of cases — 198 in all,” Monique explains. “We were worried because some patients could be infected without showing obvious symptoms. Despite this, we continued to isolate patients, provide care and advise them on hygiene and prevention, while waiting for vaccines.”

Help arrived through a coordinated international response. Between January and July 2025, the African Development Bank and the WHO partnered with the Congolese government to strengthen the fight against mpox in Equateur province. The intervention was carried out under the  Emergency Assistance Project to Combat Simian Smallpox (MPOX) (https://apo-opa.co/4qbIs3u), financed by a $1 million grant from the Bank’s Special Relief Fund.

The intervention targeted the most vulnerable groups: frontline health workers, high-risk populations, children, veterinarians, hunters and game traders. It focused on four key areas: early diagnosis, vaccination, infection prevention and control, and multi-sectoral coordination.

This collective effort yielded swift results. By October 2025, all newly identified suspected cases had received rapid laboratory confirmation, appropriate treatment and systematic vaccination of contacts. This integrated approach led to a sharp drop in new infections and a significant reduction in deaths. Confirmed mpox cases in Equateur province have fallen by 60 percent, with only 14 deaths so far in 2025, compared with 417 during the same period in 2024.

For Monique, the change has been profound: “We were relieved when the vaccines arrived,” she says. “They enabled us to protect ourselves and our families. We’re no longer afraid to see our patients because our bodies have developed antibodies against mpox.”

More than 1,406 people have been vaccinated in Equateur province, including 3,718 front-line staff.

Beyond health facilities, outreach teams fanned out across villages and urban neighbourhoods to inform, reassure and protect communities. More than a million people have been reached, helping to dispel rumours and encourage preventive behaviour.

The response also improved the health system itself. Three laboratories in Mbandaka, Ingende and Bikoro were equipped and upgraded to strengthen detection. Thousands of prevention kits have been distributed, and 4,800 GeneXpert cartridges have been deployed to accelerate diagnosis.

“Our centre has received infection prevention and control kits, as well as vaccines to immunise children who had missed earlier vaccinations,” Monique notes. “Out of 100 children identified in our records and traced in the community, we vaccinated 88. The others had left the area at the time of the intervention.”

Today, Equateur province has emerged more resilient, with better-equipped facilities, better-trained staff and communities better prepared for future epidemics. The province is not only celebrating the decline of the mpox virus, but also paying tribute to the community’s solidarity and determination that made it possible.

For Monique and many others, fear has given way to hope. “We’re telling the community that they need to be vaccinated to protect themselves, that they should be proud to be vaccinated. To vaccinate is to protect yourself. To vaccinate is to love.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Additional Images: 
https://apo-opa.co/4q9QLwD 
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Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the day of Reconciliation, Ncome Museum, Nquthu Local Municipality

Source: President of South Africa –

Programme Directors,
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie,
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Thami Ntuli,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Members of Parliament,
Executive Mayor of the Umzinyathi District Municipality, Cllr Thembisile Mchunu,
Chairperson of the Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Associations, Dr Carel Boshoff,
Religious, traditional and community leaders present,
Representatives of political parties,
The community of Nquthu,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow South Africans,

Sanibonani sizwe sikaPhunga noMageba 

Dumelang Basotho baNquthu. 

Avuxeni. Ndi Matsheloni. Lotjhani. Sanibonani. Goeie môre. Molweni. 

It is an honour and a privilege to be here at eNcome Museum, eNquthu on this day that has such profound meaning for our nation.

It was here, more than 180 years ago, on the 16th of December 1838, that more than 3,000 brave warriors fell in battle in defence of their ancestral land. 

Under the leadership of uDingane kaSenzangakhona and uNdlela kaSompisi, they marched on the Voortrekker encampment at the edge of the Ncome River.

The Voortrekkers would say their victory that day came from God. They would call it Geloftedag, Day of the Vow. 

But there is the reality of history. The Zulu impi advanced with amaKlwa and iziHlangu, to be shot down with rifles, muskets and cannons. 

They were the bravest of the brave. They fought to defend their land, their rights and their sovereignty.

Commemorating the 16th of December provides us with an opportunity to confront our past with honesty, acknowledge the complexities of our shared history and commit ourselves to building a peaceful future together.

Our democracy was built on reconciliation.

South Africans bear the scars of centuries of dispossession and oppression, of resistance being met with batons and bullets. 

We recall the Battle of Ncome. The Bambatha Rebellion. The Bulhoek Massacre. The 1946 Mineworkers Strike. Sharpeville. Langa. Cato Manor. Western Deep Levels. The Trojan Horse Massacre. Sebokeng. Boipatong. 

The names of these events and places ring in our collective memory. They symbolised terrible brutality unleashed on black South Africans.

The former oppressors tried to turn South Africans against each other, fomenting violence, terror and instability that tore communities apart.

This province, KwaZulu-Natal, knows this pain all too well. The people of this province experienced decades of political violence in the 1980s and 1990s that destroyed families and led to the loss of many lives.

The majority of South Africans were victims of a political order that denied them their humanity.

And yet at the dawn of democracy, they did not choose vengeance or retribution. 

Where others wanted to break, they chose to build. Where others wanted to sow division, they chose reconciliation.

We chose this path together, not because the past does not matter, but because we took to heart the words of President Nelson Mandela, when he said: “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

We chose the path of reconciliation because we envisioned a society where the children of the former oppressor and the oppressed could live together, side by side, without fear.

In 1994 we restored what apartheid tried to break: the dignity of every South African man, woman and child.

Since the advent of democracy, we have sought to do away with symbols that are divisive. 

This year, we return to eNcome not to reopen old wounds, but to reaffirm our promise to future generations that South Africa shall never again be divided by hatred, injustice or exclusion.

Sabuyisana ngo 1994. Sisabuyisana ngo 2025. Sisazoqhubeka nokubuyisana ngoba siyisizwe esisodwa – sonke siyizakhamuzi zaseNingizimu Afrika. 

(We reconciled in 1994. We are still reconciling in 2025. We shall continue to reconcile our differences because we are one nation – we are all South African citizens)

Together, we have overcome great challenges but still a lot remains to be done.

Here in the Umzinyathi District Municipality, eNquthu and eMsinga are some of the most underdeveloped rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal. 

We must tackle stubbornly high youth unemployment in a different way. Young people should not have to cast their eyes to big cities for better opportunities. Jobs must be created in our rural towns and villages.

This area is rich in heritage. It known as the ‘custodian’ of the Battlefields of the Zulu Kingdom.

This is a place that should attract travellers from near and far.

It is the youth of this area who should be welcoming, accommodating and feeding these visitors. 

Akuxoxwe ngobuqhawe besizwe, kubukelwe besina, bese kukhokhwa imali ezothuthukisa izindawo lapho lamasiko agxile khona.

(Stories of brave warriors must be told, the cultural dances watched, then payments made to uplift the communities who are the custodians of the heritage).

Fellow South Africans,

There are those, inside and outside our country, who are trying their utmost to paint a false picture of us as the South African people.

They do not tell us what the surveys say: that the majority of South Africans are hopeful about the state of our democracy. They do not tell us that the majority of South Africans believe race relations have improved since 1994.

They do not show the pictures of African, white, Indian and coloured children learning together, studying together and playing together.

They do not want to talk about the friendships, neighbourliness and kindness shown by black and white towards each other.

They don’t want to play all the social media clips we are seeing of young Afrikaners in veldskoens dancing to amapiano, and white teenagers speaking fluent isiZulu with their friends.

Our country’s detractors are not talking about successful land restitution, of communities sharing the land and of successful black farmers.

Instead they are painting a false picture designed to sow fear and hatred. We must not let them succeed in their efforts. 

Uma siqhubeka sakha isizwe sethu saseNingizimu Afrika sibumbene – akekho oyokwazi ukutshala imbewu yokucwasana phakathi kwethu. 

(If we continue and together we build our nation as South Africans, there will be no one who will be able to plant the seed of discrimination and exclusiveness amongst us.) 

We are a country of many diverse views. People understand our history in different ways. And they experience the reality of the present in different ways.

We must not try to hide these differences. We must speak about them and continue to work to bridge them.

As a country, we have embarked on a National Dialogue to bring all South Africans together to forge a shared vision of our future – and to agree on the actions we must take together to build that future.

No person, no group and no community must be excluded from that dialogue.

Let us use the National Dialogue to resolve our differences and to find common ground.

By so doing, we will be able to confront the many challenges facing our nation, such as poverty and inequality, crime and corruption, and gender-based violence and femicide. 

For as long as the majority of black South Africans live in poverty, for as long as inequality persists, our country will not find true reconciliation.

Our pursuit of inclusive economic growth and job creation, our efforts to reduce poverty and bring down the cost of living, are essential for reconciliation.

We cannot be reconciled as a people if our communities are terrorised by criminals and deprived of what is due to them by corrupt officials.

We cannot build a nation that is at peace with itself for as long as violence against women and children continues.

This goes against everything that our ancestors, the brave warriors here at Ncome and elsewhere, gave their lives for.

It is time that the men of our country harness the warrior spirit of our people to protect women and children and to say: “Not in our name.” 

In many of our cultures and traditions an offence against a woman was not permissible. It was deemed as disrespect for the entire family.

Killing a woman was an abomination. Not only did such a killing take her life but the lives of all the children she was still going to give birth to. 

Sizofike sithini kokhokho bethu ngegazi elingaka Labantu besifazane esilichitha nsukuzonke? 

(What are we going to tell our forefathers about the blood of women we shed daily?)

The Day of Reconciliation is about advancing reconciliation, justice and nation-building. As black and white, as young and old, but also as men and women.

Real men do not abuse women and children. Real men protect women and children.

We are a country of diverse cultures, languages, beliefs and traditions.

Here eNquthu, we have a beautiful and diverse community that is an integral part of our rainbow nation.

Here, a person can be as proud of their Basotho heritage or their Zulu culture or their Afrikaans language as they are of their South African identity.

The apartheid regime tried to turn South Africans against one another, but they did not succeed. 

The son of this very soil who has made a name for himself in the whole country through Maskandi music, Imfezi Emnyama, proudly wears the Basotho blanket and a hat on some of his CD covers because he grew up in a part of the country where there was no discrimination against other peoples.

I’m talking about umfokaKhumalo, uMashobane. 

In the song Nibizelwe, Imfezi Emnyama ithi: 

Kutheni silwa sodwa maAfrika Amahle 
(Why are we fighting amongst ourselves beautiful Africans)
Kutheni sixabana sodwa …. 
(Why quarrels amongst us)

May his stirring song remind us that we are one people, united in our diversity.

Today is a day of commemoration for all of us, black and white. Our upbringing and culture may influence how we interpret the history of this day, but of one thing we can be certain: we have come a long way.

We have many challenges, but let us be proud that we are a united nation that faces those challenges together.

During the December holidays we gather together as families. May we also find time to reconcile as families – as uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and grandparents. Healthy families produce healthy communities. 

Let us enjoy the festive season safely. Let us not drink and drive. Let us report crime when we see it, and help keep each other safe.

Let us work together for a better South Africa, which belongs to all who live in it, black and white, men and women, young and old.

May God bless South Africa and protect its people.

I thank you.
 

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Qatar, Norway Hold Round of Political Consultations

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, December 16,2025

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Norway held a round of political consultations in Doha on Tuesday.

The Qatari side was chaired by HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, while the Norwegian side was chaired by HE State Secretary at the Norwegian Foreign Minister Stine Renate Haheim.

During the consultations round, cooperation relations between the two countries were discussed, as well as ways to support and develop them. 

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Qatar Expresses Solidarity with Morocco in the Face of the Floods

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | December 16, 2025

The State of Qatar expresses its full solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Morocco following the floods that struck the coastal city of Safi, resulting in deaths and injuries.

The Ministry conveys the State of Qatar’s condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco, and wishes a speedy recovery for the injured and safety for those missing.

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Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meets with Mongolian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | December 16, 2025

His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met today with His Excellency Mr. Munktushig Ilkhanajav, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mongolia, who is on an official visit to the country.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation between their countries and discussed ways to further support and strengthen it.

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Qatar Stresses Comprehensive UN Reform as Key to Global Peace Leadership

Source: Government of Qatar

New York| December 16, 2025

The State of Qatar affirmed that effective global leadership for peace requires comprehensive reform of the United Nations system, fully consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, stressing that mediation remains an indispensable pillar for the peaceful resolution of disputes and the prevention of conflict escalation.
This came in a statement delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, during the Security Council’s open debate on “Leadership for Peace,” held under the agenda item “Maintenance of international peace and security’ at UN Headquarters in New York.
In her statement, Her Excellency underscored the significance of the selection process for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations and the need to strengthen the Secretary-General’s role in the face of unprecedented global challenges. She noted the growing strain on the multilateral system and the declining adherence to the purposes of the United Nations, its Charter, and the principles of international law.
She explained that the State of Qatar has remained firmly committed to the UN Charter and has long been a strategic partner of the United Nations, as well as a trusted and credible mediator in advancing the Organization’s founding goals and mission. She added that, for more than two decades, Qatar has played a pivotal role in mediation efforts worldwide, working to achieve sustainable and lasting peace in complex conflicts.
Her Excellency highlighted Qatar’s growing engagement in mediation efforts in recent years, encompassing a wide range of initiatives, including facilitating ceasefires, negotiating prisoner exchanges, supporting inclusive national dialogues, resolving border disputes, and contributing to the conclusion of peace agreements aimed at ending conflicts.
She emphasized that the impact of these efforts has been evident across several regions, including the Gaza Strip in the occupied Palestinian territory, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sudan, Chad, Ukraine, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, underscoring Qatar’s sustained contribution to the promotion of security and stability at both the regional and international levels.
Her Excellency also highlighted the State of Qatar’s vision regarding the selection of the next Secretary-General, stressing that the Secretary-General must play a pivotal role in shaping the international response to conflicts, strengthening the United Nations’ engagement in mediation, and providing decisive leadership in conflict prevention. She further emphasized the importance of proactive support for international mediation through preventive diplomacy, the provision of timely and accurate information to Member States, and the presentation of practical and actionable options to the Security Council to enable early and effective responses to emerging threats.
She added that the State of Qatar underscored the importance of upholding mediation as a central tool for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and the prevention of their escalation, calling on the Secretary-General to lead efforts to ensure that mediators from States and other entities are able to operate freely and effectively, without restrictions, negative campaigns, or hostile acts. She stressed that such efforts are fully consistent with Article (33) of the Charter of the United Nations, which calls on parties to any dispute to seek peaceful solutions, including through negotiation and mediation.
HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar further emphasized that the incoming Secretary-General must continue to play a pivotal role in preventing conflicts and grave human rights violations by exercising the authority vested in him under Article (99) of the Charter to bring matters that may threaten international peace and security to the attention of the Security Council, and to contribute to shaping its agenda. She also underscored the importance of strengthening preventive diplomacy through the good offices, with a focus on addressing the root causes of conflicts, including through upholding the principles of justice and accountability in conflict resolution.
Her Excellency expressed the State of Qatar’s welcome of the “UN 80′ initiative, reiterating its appreciation to the Secretary-General for launching this constructive effort, which reflects the conviction that the United Nations must become more efficient, accountable, and transparent, and better equipped to meet the aspirations of the world’s peoples.
She affirmed that the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, together with the selection of the next Secretary-General, should serve as a pivotal moment to advance comprehensive reform of the UN system and to strengthen multilateralism in order to address the challenges of the coming decades.