Africa Faces Rising Public Health Threats Amidst Limited Resources
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned of increasing public health threats across the continent, citing overstretched resources and gaps in preparedness. Prof. Yap Boum, Incident Manager for Health Emergencies at Africa CDC, sounded the alarm during a weekly virtual press briefing, highlighting rising outbreaks of cholera, Mpox, and Marburg virus.
According to data released by the CDC, the continent has seen a significant surge in disease outbreaks, with 132,442 suspected cases of Mpox, 301,561 suspected cholera cases, and 140,217 measles cases reported between epidemiological weeks one and 47 of 2025. The outbreaks have resulted in substantial mortality, with 953 Mpox-related deaths, 7,187 cholera-related deaths, and 1,243 measles-related deaths.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently declared the end of its 16th Ebola outbreak, which was centered in Kasai Province. The Africa CDC commended the DRC government, the Ministry of Health, and field teams for their coordinated response, attributing the success to “exceptional determination and exemplary coordination.”
The Marburg virus outbreak in Ethiopia’s Jinka Town has also been reported, with 13 confirmed cases and eight deaths as of December 3. Rapid response teams have been deployed, and contact tracing, active case search, and surveillance are ongoing.
The Africa CDC has emphasized the need for long-term investment in preparedness, including domestic health financing, laboratory and manufacturing capacity, early warning systems, and protection for frontline health workers. Prof. Boum stressed that “Africa must lead its health security future” and that “sovereignty begins with preparedness.”
To address the ongoing public health challenges, the Africa CDC has been supporting countries in their response efforts, including providing vaccination support for Mpox. Eighteen countries have received regulatory approval for the MVA-BN vaccine, with 4.88 million doses delivered to 16 countries, and 1.91 million people having received at least one dose.
The situation highlights the need for sustained commitment to strengthening health systems and preparedness across the continent. As the Africa CDC continues to work with countries to respond to ongoing outbreaks, the importance of investing in long-term health security and sovereignty cannot be overstated.
