Di Democratic Republic of Congo dey run against time to launch one mass vaccination programme for October to control di increasing outbreak of mpox virus.
Di goment don however already dey warn say some parts of di huge kontri fit no get di vaccine.
Health minister, Dr Roger Kamba tell BBC say e go be big challenge to carry out ogbonge vaccination programme for di eastern areas of di kontri – wia goment forces dey battle rebel groups.
“Health systems don fail for (dia) and still we must find way to reach as many pipo (as possible),” Dr Kamba tok.
Fears dey say di ongoing armed conflict between di army and several armed groups, most notably di M23 rebels, no go allow make supplies get through.
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In addition, more dan seven million internally displaced pipo dey for DR Congo – many of dem dey live for camps wia access to clean water dey limited – dis put dem for increased risk of catching mpox.
Di eastern region wey cover Ituri, North and South Kivu provinces don already record more cases of di more transmissible, Clade 1b form of di virus, wey don already claim more dan 600 lives for di kontri, according to di World Health Organization.
Tough logistics and overcoming refusal to collect vaccine
DR Congo receive donations of 65,000 shots on September 10, wey bring di total number of vaccines for di kontri to about 265,000.
However, Health Minister Dr Roger Kamba warn say dis na just drop in di ocean – sake of di huge kontri population of ova 100 million pipo.
E add say di goment dey expect more donation of three million vaccines from Japan, although dem no dey sure wen dis go arrive.
Dem don fly boxes of vaccines go Kinshasa but authorities dey foresee big logistical challenges to reach areas beyond di towns and villages wey rebel groups dey control.
Several humanitarian organisations to reach places like South Ubangi, (one of di provinces wey don record high infection rates), fit take up to five days sake of poor road networks and limited transport options.
Even wen DR Congo secure enough vaccines for nationwide rollout, dem go need take extra effort to address vaccine hesitancy among communities wey get doubt.
Samuel Boland, di Africa Regional mpox incident manager for WHO, tell BBC say vaccine hesitancy na global challenge and for DR Congo, authorities gatz work to engage communities to boost understanding.
Keeping di vaccines cold
Dem dey fly and store di vaccines for Kinshasa Kinkole cold storage hub. Di storage dey mostly powered largely by solar-generated electricity.
Na di largest vaccine storage facility for Central Africa and one of di few sites wey fit keep di mpox vaccine for im ideal temperature of -20C degrees.
Once dem move di vaccine vials from di storage hub, dem must keep di vaccine for temperature wey dey between 2°C and 8°C. And dem must use am within four weeks otherwise, dem go lose dia effectiveness.
Amadou Tall, Unicef chief supply and logistics officer for DR Congo, tell BBC say dem go only transport di vaccines from di main storage facilities go health centres wey dey ready to vaccinate.
Teams go rely on cold boxes (wey dey use gel packs and ice) for areas wey lack di equipment dem need to store and distribute di vaccines.
Di United Nations children agency, Unicef say dem dey train healthcare workers on storing, transporting and administering of di mpox vaccines dis month.
Priority groups
Dr Arthur Ngoy, head of di Centre Médical Check-up Santé, tell BBC say goment gatz act quickly to vaccinate all healthcare workers wey dey come in contact wit mpox patients.
E dey worried about a repeat of di coronavirus pandemic, wen many kontris see high number of deaths among nurses and doctors.
Healthcare workers wey dey operate for eastern DR Congo don report say dem desperately need more support, as dem dey work wit little or no protective clothing like masks and gloves (PPE).
In response, Oga Kamba say goment dey do all dem fit do to ensure say health workers for di frontlines dey get all di support dem need to look afta mpox patients.
DR Congo na di epicentre of di mpox outbreak wey don spread to at least 13 African kontris. Urgent need dey to contain am.
Concerns also dey about di lack of availability of vaccines for children wey appear to dey more vulnerable to di virus.
Currently, na only adults dey authorised to use mpox vaccines but di European Medicines Agency say dem dey examine new additional data so dat children aged 12 to 17 go fit use am.
Laurent Muschel, director-general for di EU agency for health emergencies, HERA, tok say di organisation dey expect authorisation by di end of September wit clinical trials underway for children under 12.
As di DR Congo goment dey work closely wit health agencies and communities to contain di outbreak, dose wey dey di frontline fit only wait in hope.
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