The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been hit hardest by the mpox outbreak in Africa, with about 80% of the lab-confirmed cases and deaths reported across the continent this year. Mpox spreads mainly through close physical contact so that anyone can get it, but vulnerable groups face a higher risk of infection and severe illness.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with the DRC government to protect these groups. Efforts include training health workers, tracking the disease, spreading awareness, giving medical supplies, managing cases, and improving vaccine systems.

Some of the most at-risk people in the DRC are the 7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and over 500,000 refugees. Many live in camps with poor water, sanitation, and healthcare access.

“The crowded living conditions in these camps make it easier for the virus to spread,” says Dr. Bachir Mbodj, WHO’s mpox Incident Manager in the DRC. To stop this, WHO is increasing access to health services and sanitation facilities in these areas.

The DRC is also dealing with other problems like conflict and malnutrition. Because of this, WHO is combining health measures with larger humanitarian efforts. It works with partners like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Alima, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to keep healthcare services running in camps.

Dr. Popol Bureme, IOM’s National Migration Health Officer, says, “By combining WHO’s health expertise and IOM’s border control knowledge, we can reduce the cross-border spread of mpox and protect communities in the DRC and neighboring countries.”

At least 60 IOM staff have been trained in managing mpox cases, and facilities for treatment and isolation have been set up at DRC entry points. WHO has also sent 18 doctors to North Kivu to assist with vaccinations and medical care.

In North Kivu, which has 2.5 million IDPs, WHO has built three permanent health centers near camps, each treating up to 2,000 people a week. They’ve also opened 23 temporary health centers and four isolation facilities in the camps. Similar programs are running in South Kivu, and over 1,800 people in IDP camps have been vaccinated so far.

WHO is also supporting the DRC’s National Fight Against HIV/AIDS Programme to help sex workers, who are at higher risk of mpox. This group makes up about 3% of women aged 15–49 in the country. The support includes testing, treatment, and follow-up care.

In North and South Kivu, sex worker leaders and other vulnerable groups have been trained to teach their peers about pox. In Kinshasa, 120 more people will soon receive training. Each peer educator is expected to reach about 80 people with information on prevention and vaccination. Currently, sex workers make up 16% of those vaccinated against mpox in the DRC.

“These community leaders are trusted and have experience spreading health messages about HIV/AIDS,” says Dr. Clotilde Melisa Inaka Boolu, the program’s mpox coordinator. “Including mpox information will help protect not just sex workers but also their clients and communities.”