The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs has restarted its mpox outbreak prevention activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, after USAID granted a waiver to do so.
CCP and its partners in DRC have returned hundreds of community health workers (CHWs) to their posts as of March 5. These CHWs constitute the backbone of the DRC’s community health care system, going door to door in selected health zones of the capital city Kinshasa working to help people take proper precautions against mpox and refer them for care should they present any signs of the disease.
The CHWs are also ensuring that people previously diagnosed with mpox are receiving proper care and that those eligible are encouraged to be vaccinated, especially children ages one to five.
The mpox prevention work was interrupted in late January, when, under the direction of the new U.S. federal administration, USAID issued stop-work orders for all its projects. This meant that, in the middle of a severe outbreak, much of the community and public messaging was stopped, creating a gap in getting critical information to people.
Also halted was the steady flow of national and regional television and radio campaigns, with an estimated reach of 7.7 million people through radio and nearly 10 million via television. These spots, which highlighted lifesaving health and community protection messages, are now back on the air in Kinshasa. In addition, interactive radio programs, where communities can call in and engage with health experts, are resuming this week.