Kinshasa, May 18th, 2025 (CPA).- More than 400,000 (four hundred thousand) people have been vaccinated against Mpox (simian smallpox) at the vaccination site in the Pakadjuma district, in the municipality of Limete in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), CPA has learnt on Friday in an interview. ‘To date, more than 400,000 people have already been vaccinated against Mpox in Pakadjuma in Kinshasa in less than two weeks. This strong response from the population reflects a real and perceived need in the context of an outbreak of cases’, has declared Professor Yap Boum, deputy head of the continental management system team for the response to Mpox at Africa CDC (African Union Health Agency).
‘These figures are due to the work carried out by the community relays and vaccination teams, who rely on clear, contextualised, proactive communication highlighting the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, while responding to rumours and hesitations,’ he has specified. ‘The use of local languages, community leaders and door-to-door strategies played a key role’, he has said. This Africa CDC expert has pointed out that in rural and remote areas, trust is still being built up, and work must continue over time to increase transparency about the vaccine’s side effects. In his view, vulnerable or isolated populations need to be reassured by integrating this communication into the routine health system, beyond the emergency phase.
Given that the communication has demonstrated its impact, he has indicated that it must form part of a long-term strategy to support vaccination coverage and contribute to the sustainable prevention of Mpox epidemics.
With regard to expectations, he has continued, in order to achieve the desired results, communication will have to be intensified by relying on community relays to improve commitment in the provinces, and also on the support of media professionals to ensure a proper dissemination of information on the disease, vaccination and other actions undertaken by the government and its partners.