“Children in Burundi are bearing the brunt of the mpox outbreak with alarming rates of infection and health impacts,” said Dr Paul Ngwakum, UNICEF Regional Health Advisor for Eastern and Southern Africa. “Of the nearly 600 reported cases, two-thirds are children under 19 years old and the situation is escalating really rapidly with more than [a] 40 per cent  increase in cases over the last three weeks.”

To date in Burundi there have been more than 14,000 suspected cases but no reported deaths from mpox. Neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, however, has seen nearly 21,900 suspected cases and 717 deaths.

The UNICEF official insisted that with funding and prompt action in Burundi, “we have an opportunity to end this outbreak in a very short time period because the geographical area is kind of limited and with concerted effort from all partners, I think, we can limit the spread; we can contain the virus so we can stop the outbreak without any loss of life”.

Making classrooms safe 

Following the start of the school year earlier this week in Burundi, the UN agency remains concerned about the rise of mpox among children under five years of age, who represent 30 per cent of reported cases – as in DRC. To help teachers and parents understand the risks and minimize disruption, the UN agency has supported the education authorities to implement health measures in schools, train staff to recognize early symptoms of mpox and reinforce hand hygiene.

“Make no mistake, we don’t have all the answers. No one does. This is a rapidly evolving situation, with a new, infectious strain, and we are learning more every day about different modes of transmission. And with more information, we update our messaging and our response,” said Dr Ngwakum.

The UNICEF appeal will also provide mental health support for parents and frontline workers who may face hostility from some communities in part because of the association of mpox with sex, which is responsible for some transmission – but by no means all of it.

Harmful stigma

“Sex in Africa is not something that is spoken of on a daily basis. And if they think you are having a sexually transmitted disease, it stigmatizes you as well,” explained Dr Ngwakum. “We try to explain that this is not the case. Most children have it from body-to-body contact or contact with animals or contact with infected materials, which is not having anything to do with human-to-human sexual contamination.”

Communities also remain fearful of a repeat of previous serious health outbreaks such as Ebola or COVID-19, “so there is an important role we are playing to dispel myths, and calm fears”, the UNICEF official explained.

Highlighting the stark contrast between the high number of suspected deaths from mpox in DRC and Burundi, Dr Margaret Harris from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) explained that this was likely owing to the longstanding humanitarian emergency in eastern DRC.

“Many of the children whom we’ve seen horribly, sadly die in the Democratic Republic of Congo were very immuno-suppressed through being severely malnourished and having suffered the effects of conflict and perhaps also having other diseases at the same time,” she told journalists in Geneva.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

The Philippines joined the IOM and 31 other states in a 2-day International Conference on the Future Agenda of Action for Global Diaspora Engagement in Cabo Verde from 12 to 13 September 2024, reaffirming its commitment on ensuring the role of the Filipino diaspora to the development Philippine migration policy frameworks.

Philippine Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Cabo Verde, Paul Raymund P. Cortes, on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Undersecretary for Migration Affairs Eduardo José A. de Vega, led the Philippine delegation in the international conference. During the Session on Panel II: Transnational Solutions in Health: Concrete Results for Development, Ambassador Cortes highlighted the available diaspora engagement mechanisms and legal frameworks in the Philippines, such as the Philippine Migration Health Network (PMHN) established by the Migrant Health Unit of the Department of Health, as well as the concept of “Filipinas Ultramar” which repositions the vital role of the Filipino diaspora towards achieving development. 

Aligned with the third pillar of Philippine foreign policy, Undersecretary de Vega, through a recorded video message, manifested the country’s support to the formal adoption of Global Diaspora Policy Alliance (GDPA) Terms of Reference (ToRs) and its intended mechanisms. Undersecretary de Vega reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the GDPA mechanisms with the ultimate goal of ameliorating this new ecosystem for diaspora engagement for the interests and welfare of Filipino diaspora communities.

Ambassador Cortes also met with International Organization for Migration – Deputy Director General (IOM-DDG) for Operations Ugochi Daniels at the sidelines of the conference to discuss future collaborations with the Philippines. DDG Daniels, on behalf of the IOM, expressed her deepest appreciation to the Philippines unwavering support to numerous IOM initiatives, including the GDPA.The Philippines highlighted the  long-standing partnership of the Philippines with IOM on ensuring humane and dignified migration pathways. DDG Daniels also ensured to continue working with the Philippines on attaining tangible outcomes of diaspora involvement. 

Finally, the Philippines, as co-chair with Somalia, presented the work plans of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Health and Wellbeing and  committed to hosting the next TWG meeting in Manila sometime in 2025 to identify key priority areas of the work plan. 

Through this international conference, the Philippines demonstrated its exemplary standards in migration governance and renewed its leadership position in shaping global migration discourse, particularly on addressing migration and health issues and harnessing the role of diaspora to humanitarian and development affairs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines.

A September 9 internal report by the United Nations Population Fund, the UN agency tasked with improving reproductive and maternal health, found that 268 out of the 348 women held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Makala prison – nearly 80 percent – were victims of rape and other sexual violence when an attempted prison break earlier this month turned deadly. The report, seen by Human Rights Watch and first reported on by Reuters, notes that 17 of the survivors of sexual violence were younger than 19.

Following the violence at the prison on September 2, Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani announced the same day that 129 prisoners died and 59 were injured. He also said there were “some women raped.” On September 4, a female prisoner told Human Rights Watch that she watched women being raped and none had received appropriate health care.

The report notes that while timely post-rape care, such as emergency contraception against pregnancy and HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, was provided to a number of survivors within 72 hours of the assaults, there was no adequate counseling support until September 11.

Sexual violence is a chronic problem in Congo’s prisons. In September 2020, a prison riot at Kasapa Central Prison in Lubumbashi caused a fire in the women’s section that forced the female prisoners into the main prison yard for three days, where the prison failed to provide any protection. For three days, male prisoners repeatedly raped several dozen female prisoners, including a teenage girl. A trial held 16 months later was a missed opportunity to meaningfully investigate what happened and hold those responsible, including direct perpetrators and state officials, to account.

Compounding this is the overcrowding and poor living and sanitation conditions common in Makala and many other Congolese prisons.

On September 2, Shabani said that a mixed commission would be created to establish the facts around the incident at Makala prison. While this commission will face several challenges, it should give special focus to a critical question: What does the government need to do to tackle sexual violence in Congo’s prisons and ensure the dignity and security of women and girls?

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Uganda has received over 100,000 asylum seekers since January 2024, including an influx of Sudanese refugees fleeing brutal conflict in their home country. Sudanese refugees now make up the largest demographic of newly arriving refugees in Uganda this year, accounting for 36% of the total number of new arrivals. 

Most Sudanese refugees arrive in Kiryandongo settlement in mid-Western Uganda where 150-200 of them are screened at the reception center daily. Resources in the settlement are severely strained, with a lack of medical supplies, medicine and adequate health infrastructure posing health and safety risks to the already vulnerable individuals. As the main health service provider in the settlement, the IRC reiterates the urgent need for more funding  in order to meet the needs of the growing number of refugees.

Shashwat Saraf, IRC Regional Emergency Director for East Africa said: 

“More than a year of intense fighting in Sudan has forced millions to flee their homes to escape the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding. They arrive in nearby countries severely traumatized and in need of medical care and basic assistance that is often in short supply, as we’re seeing in Uganda. For refugee hosting countries, more funds are urgently required: today, the Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan remains only 23% funded. Beyond that, the violence in Sudan must end now so that people are no longer forced to flee their homes.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .