The ongoing Mpox outbreak, categorized as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization, is significantly impacting children in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This year, nearly all reported cases and over 450 fatalities have been traced back to this area.
Alain Matabaro recalls how the illness developed in his six-year-old son Amani, starting with a small, irritated spot that led to liquid discharge and soon spread across his body. After four days of treatment at a clinic in Munigi, a city close to Goma, Amani began to recover.
Dr. Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole from the charity Medair observes that around 75% of cases treated at the clinic involve children under ten, with the young population particularly vulnerable due to their still-developing immune systems.
Dr. Ngadjole attributes the outbreak’s spread partly to overcrowding in a local camp for people displaced by violence. Children often play closely together, disregarding social distancing, which facilitates the transmission of Mpox. He notes that these children frequently share sleeping spaces, increasing the risk of further spreading the virus.
Since June, the Munigi clinic has treated 310 Mpox cases, providing free care that includes paracetamol, safe drinking water, and treatment for skin infections. Currently, they see five to ten new patients daily, but there have been no fatalities attributed to the outbreak, likely due to timely medical intervention.
Dr. Ngadjole emphasizes the importance of offering free health services in such situations, allowing patients to seek help without financial burdens.
In contrast, a hospital in Kavumu, 80 kilometers southwest of Munigi, faces a different reality, having treated 800 children under five since June, with eight fatalities recorded.
Two-year-old Ansima Kanigo contracted Mpox from one of her four siblings who were also affected. Initially, her mother, 35-year-old Nzigire Kanigo, was uncertain about the nature of the illness, suspecting it was measles. After unsuccessful home treatment, they sought help at the hospital.
Grateful for the medical care, Nzigire noted that three of her children are now at home, while only two remain hospitalized.
Dr. Robert Musole, the medical director of the Kavumu hospital, warns against underestimating the outbreak, describing the situation as critical due to limited capacity and high patient demand. He added that the first challenge is accommodating patients, followed by a lack of necessary medications.
The ongoing unrest has displaced millions, leading to the creation of numerous camps in eastern DRC where families often live in unsanitary conditions, making the environment ripe for the spread of Mpox.