Children at severe risk of death from mpox, World Vision warns

KINSHASA (August 15, 2024) — Global humanitarian organization World Vision has expressed its deep concern for children who are most at risk of dying from a more deadly variant of mpox, which is spreading rapidly across Central and West Africa. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), children are the most affected, with 39% of the 7,851 reported mpox cases — and 62% of the 384 deaths — being children under 5 in 2024.

“Children are particularly vulnerable to mpox, especially in low and middle-income countries, including those suffering humanitarian crises and where health and social services are weak or non-existent,” said Aline Napon, World Vision’s national director in the DRC. “Children are especially at risk where they are living in refugee camps, overcrowded urban settlements, and where malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sanitation, and poor health services exist.”

The World Health Organization has declared mpox an international health emergency in response to a growing outbreak in Africa. The DRC is currently most impacted, with thousands of children either infected or at risk of infection from the virus. Conflict in the DRC is putting populations at increased risk, as displaced people are often forced to live in crowded camps where close physical contact is inevitable and sexual violence levels are high.

“The type of contact reported by cases in the DRC includes sexual contact, non-sexual direct contact, as well as household and healthcare facility contact,” Napon continued. “Children living in the DRC, where conflict, displacement and natural disasters are all taking place, are in real risk of this serious and rapidly spreading disease.”

World Vision is calling upon the international community to respond immediately by putting systems in place to halt the spread of this deadly virus, such as rolling out vaccinations, supporting the sharing of accurate health messaging to reduce misinformation and stigma and urgently treating those who have been infected.

“World Vision’s experience in tackling Ebola and COVID-19 in humanitarian situations tells us that there is no time to waste,” Napon said. “People in DRC and other impacted countries need immediate, free treatment for mpox. There must also be an immediate immunization program set up to prevent further infection and mortality. We cannot stand by while children die from this deadly but preventable disease,” said Napon.

About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit worldvision.org or follow on the social platform X, @WorldVisionUSA.