DRC-Japan: the scientific cooperation on Mpox is discussed in an exchange in Kinshasa

Kinshasa, April 6^th, 2025 (CPA) – The scientific cooperation on Mpox (monkey pox) has been at the centre of an exchange on Saturday in Kinshasa, between the delegation of the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) and the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a press release. « This three-stage guided visit by the GHIT Fund delegation, led by its CEO, Dr Osamu Kunii, is part of a drive for scientific and technical cooperation to meet the challenges posed by the Mpox epidemic in DRC », it is read. According to the source, the main aim of the Japanese delegation’s mission was to learn more about the current Mpox situation, particularly in terms of coordinating and managing the epidemic, but also to explore the ways in which the INSP could collaborate in the development of diagnostic tools and public health research. To this end, the Japanese delegation has attended a presentation on the workings of the INSP, where the emphasis has been on the innovations underway, particularly in the development of a rapid Mpox screening test (less than an hour), capable of differentiating between the clades circulating in Africa, at an affordable cost. The GHIT Fund delegation has also visited the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (Cousp), where it was given a presentation of the service, including its creation, its remit and its major achievements from 2023 to 2025. The Cousp coordinator, in his opening remarks, has highlighted the importance of normative documents in the response to health emergencies in DRC, underlining the central role of COUSP in the management of public health incidents. The visit has ended at the Kinoise clinic, where Mpox patients are treated. In addition, this strategic visit has enabled Dr Osamu Kunii to gather evidence with a view to developing a vaccine against Mpox within a year.  It has paved the way for possible funding from the Japanese government, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other international pharmaceutical partners. This potential partnership between the GHIT Fund and the INSP marks an important turning point in the fight against infectious diseases in DRC. It illustrates the commitment of these two institutions to pooling their expertise to promote innovative healthcare solutions tailored to the realities on the ground in Africa.