SAA calls for urgent action against Monkeypox crisis

The Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), a leading pan-African non-governmental organization has issued a stark warning about the escalating monkeypox crisis on the continent, urging immediate action to prevent a catastrophic outbreak.

The warning comes on the heels of a declaration by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) that tagged monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency.

SAA emphasizes the need for swift coordination to combat the spread of the disease in a statement signed by Mr. Luc Armand H. Bodea, SAA Coordinator, and copied to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) at [email protected], which is a development communication advocacy non-governmental organization based in Ghana.

The CDA Consult is a Ghanaian-based consultancy firm that specializes in providing expert services in communication, development, and advocacy and aims to promote effective communication, development, and advocacy for sustainable social change.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals, it can also be transmitted from human to human through close physical contact.

Mr. Bodea, who is also the Director of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), said it recognizes the gravity of the situation and expresses its full support for the swift actions taken by both the African CDC and WHO to address the growing threat posed by the monkeypox virus across the continent.

However, SAA stresses that more needs to be done to address the growing threat.

SAA calls for action are anchored on five thematic areas: urgent free access to monkeypox vaccines for high-risk African countries; strengthened surveillance and infection prevention measures; and enhanced laboratory capacities and resource mobilization for timely diagnosis and treatment.

The rest are community engagement, public education campaigns to combat misinformation and stigma; and priority attention and support for vulnerable populations, including people living with HIV and key populations.

The SAA also appeals to international partners and donors to provide financial and technical assistance to support Africa's response to the outbreak.

As an organization dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS, other STIs, and viral emergent diseases, the SAA emphasizes the importance of integrating monkeypox response strategies into existing public health frameworks.

The SAA statement stressed the need to urgently leverage on the ongoing experience gained by African countries in managing the HIV/AIDS epidemic which has equipped nations with valuable expertise that can help to tackle the monkeypox outbreak.

The SAA also urges governments, health institutions, and civil society organizations to prioritize community engagement and public education campaigns to combat misinformation and stigma associated with monkeypox.

SAA said it is essential that vulnerable populations, including people living with HIV, children, and key populations, especially those with large sexual networks, receive priority attention and support during this period of heightened monkeypox risk.

Furthermore, the SAA calls upon international partners and donors to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to support Africa's response to the monkeypox outbreak, especially with access to treatment and vaccines.

“Global solidarity and cooperation are vital to ensuring that the continent is adequately prepared to address this public health challenge and prevent further loss of life, and the SAA is calling for urgent free access to the monkeypox vaccine to the African countries highly at risk,” the statement stated.

The SAA remains committed to working closely with all stakeholders to develop and implement comprehensive response strategies that safeguard the health and well-being of communities across Africa.

The SAA said it will ensure that monkeypox and its implications are thoroughly discussed, during the upcoming ICASA 2025 conference, with the aim of fostering collaboration and innovation in addressing this and other emerging public health threats.