The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to launch a vaccination campaign against mpox on October 2, with Kamituga, a mining town in South Kivu province, among the first to receive vaccinations. However, the campaign faces significant logistical hurdles due to the country’s vast size and poor road conditions.
Kamituga, where the current mpox outbreak began in September 2023, is approximately 180 kilometers from the provincial capital, Bukavu. The town is accessed by a single road, which is primarily a dirt track featuring precarious bridges over overflowing rivers. This isolation complicates efforts to transport vaccines and healthcare workers.
Local motorbike drivers, who often transport patients to the hospital, express fear over potential exposure to the virus. With Kamituga’s population estimated between 280,000 and 500,000 due to the transient nature of its gold mining workforce, health officials worry about the spread of the virus and the challenges of vaccinating such a fluid population.
Local health professionals, including doctors, report that sex workers were among the first to spread mpox in the community, complicating efforts to educate the public about prevention. Despite the challenges, there is optimism among local health authorities about managing the outbreak, and residents have expressed readiness to receive the vaccine.
A cold storage facility has been established to ensure vaccines remain at the necessary temperature, but public confidence in vaccines has waned since the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, local sentiment seems to lean toward vaccination, with many eager to protect themselves from the disease.
