The ongoing Mpox outbreak, deemed a public health emergency by the World Health Organization, is significantly impacting children in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This year, nearly all reported illnesses and over 450 fatalities have been linked to the nation.
Alain Matabaro recalls how his six-year-old son Amani’s condition escalated from a small irritated spot to multiple lesions covering his body after he initially squeezed it. After four days of treatment at a clinic in Munigi, near Goma, Amani began to show signs of recovery.
According to Dr. Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole from the charity Medair, around 75% of the cases treated at the clinic involve children under ten years old. The outbreak has proven to be particularly severe among younger individuals due to their developing immune systems.
Dr. Ngadjole also highlights the overcrowding at local camps established for people displaced by violence as a contributing factor to the spread. In such close quarters, children frequently play together, disregarding social distancing protocols. He notes, “They don’t really pay attention to social distance,” and adds that many children even share beds, which facilitates ongoing transmission.
Since June, the Munigi clinic has treated 310 cases of Mpox. The clinic provides free care, including paracetamol, safe drinking water, and treatments for skin infections, with a daily admission rate of five to ten new patients. Remarkably, no deaths from the illness have occurred there, which Dr. Ngadjole attributes to early medical intervention.
He emphasizes the importance of offering free healthcare in these circumstances, explaining that it encourages those affected to seek treatment without financial concerns.
Conversely, a hospital in Kavumu, located 80 kilometers southwest of Munigi, is facing a dire situation. Since June, it has seen 800 patients under five years old, with eight fatalities.
Two-year-old Ansima Kanigo contracted Mpox from one of her siblings and, initially confused about the illness, her mother Nzigire Kanigo sought help after home treatments failed. “We thought it might be measles,” she said, “but I am grateful for the doctor who provided medication. Three [children] are now at home.”
Dr. Robert Musole, the hospital’s medical director, warns against underestimating the outbreak, citing the limited capacity and overwhelming demand for care. “Accommodating patients is our first challenge, followed by the shortage of medications,” he said.
The region is home to millions of displaced individuals living in camps under poor conditions, which lack sanitation and are overcrowded—creating a conducive environment for the proliferation of Mpox.