The ongoing Mpox outbreak, deemed a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization, is severely impacting children in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This year, nearly all reported cases and over 450 fatalities are linked to the nation.
Alain Matabaro recalls his six-year-old son Amani’s battle with the disease, which began with a small irritated area that developed into lesions after he squeezed it. Following four days of treatment at a clinic in Munigi, close to Goma, Amani began to recover.
Dr. Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole from the charity Medair notes that approximately 75% of the cases treated there involve children under ten. The Mpox outbreak appears particularly dangerous for young children due to their developing immune systems.
Dr. Ngadjole also highlights the crowded conditions in nearby camps for individuals displaced by violence, where children often play closely together, facilitating the spread of the virus. He observes, “They don’t really give a damn about social distance,” as many children share beds and live in proximity every day, which contributes to ongoing transmission.
Since June, the Munigi clinic has treated 310 cases of Mpox, providing free medical services, including paracetamol and medications for skin infections. The clinic currently sees five to ten new admissions daily. Fortunately, there have been no deaths from the illness there, which Dr. Ngadjole attributes to early treatment access.
He emphasizes the importance of providing free healthcare in these situations, as it encourages people to seek medical help without financial concerns.
In contrast, a hospital in Kavumu, located 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Munigi, reports a dire situation. Since June, it has attended to 800 patients under five years old, resulting in eight fatalities.
Two-year-old Ansima Kanigo contracted Mpox from one of her four siblings, all of whom have the illness. Her mother, Nzigire Kanigo, initially mistook her child’s symptoms for measles before seeking medical assistance.
Nzigire expressed gratitude for the treatments received at the hospital, stating that three of her children have now returned home, with only two remaining hospitalized.
Dr. Robert Musole, the medical director at the hospital, warns that the outbreak should not be taken lightly. “We are completely overloaded,” he says, referencing the challenging conditions under which they operate, including limited resources and high patient demand.
The situation is exacerbated by the presence of millions of displaced individuals living in inadequate and unsanitary conditions across various camps in eastern DRC, creating an ideal environment for the spread of Mpox.