Singapore Supports Africa CDC in Mpox Outbreak Response with Diagnostic Aid
Singapore’s Ministry of Health has pledged a support package that includes diagnostic kits and testing supplies capable of conducting up to 50,000 tests to bolster the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (Africa CDC) response to the ongoing mpox outbreak. This initiative seeks to address critical shortages in testing capacity across African Union member states. Africa CDC, a public health agency of the African Union, plays a central role in coordinating the continent’s response to health emergencies.
The ongoing mpox outbreak, declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by Africa CDC on August 13, 2024, and a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) the following day, has impacted 19 African nations. Over 12,000 confirmed cases have been reported this year, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi being hardest hit.
Testing limitations have hindered effective case management and contact tracing, essential tools for curbing the outbreak. In response, Africa CDC and WHO launched a joint plan to expand testing through scaling up centralised Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) sites, activating additional labs, and deploying near point-of-care testing, alongside personnel training and supply distribution.
HE Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC’s Director General, lauded Singapore’s contribution, commenting that for the first time, a comprehensive continental response plan has been developed to address outbreak response pillars, including diagnostics and genome sequencing.
Singapore’s Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung, stressed the importance of global collaboration. He said that Singapore’s contribution to helping African nations manage the mpox outbreak, is also strengthening global health security, which isa shared international responsibility.
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
