Struggles of Displaced Congolese Amid Mpox Outbreak

Displaced Congolese face challenges in isolation and accessing basic needs amid the mpox outbreak. Migrants are particularly vulnerable due to inadequate health policies and living conditions. Médecins Sans Frontières highlights the urgency of rapid vaccine distribution as the crisis exposes broader issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In packed camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo, people displaced by war face dire conditions that leave them critically exposed to mpox, according to Médecins Sans Frontières. The crowded conditions make isolation and basic hygiene impossible.

Conflict in eastern DRC has forced many to flee their homes, making them especially susceptible to mpox due to their weakened economic and social state. 'Fleeing means they have lost all economic capacity to generate an income,' said Natalia Torrent, head of mission in North Kivu for MSF.

Women are particularly vulnerable, often facing sexual violence when leaving camps for basic necessities. The mpox variant, clade Ib, spreads easily through close contact, making vaccine access and rapid distribution essential. The crisis underscores the necessity of heightened international attention to the ongoing conflict and health disparities in DRC.

(With inputs from agencies.)