The International Organisation for Migration has appealed for $18.5 million to fund the response to the spread of mpox across the Horn, Eastern and Southern Africa.

The spread of mpox across the regions has increased the risk of infection for migrants who need “crucial” healthcare and other support ahead of an “anticipated surge” in cases.

IOM, in a statement on Wednesday stated that migrants and other marginalised and highly mobile populations including those uprooted from their homes by natural emergencies and conflicts were far more prone to infection.

The UN migration agency said that they were far prone to infection because of poor living conditions and the “significant barriers” many often encounter in seeking help.

“The spread of mpox across East, Horn and Southern Africa is a grave concern, especially for the vulnerable migrant, highly mobile populations and displaced communities often overlooked in such crises.

“We must act swiftly to protect those at the highest risk and to mitigate the impact of this outbreak on the region,”  Amy Pope, IOM Director-General said.

Mpox has affected people in the African region for more than a decade, the UN agency said.

It added that the Horn, Eastern and Southern Africa regions host 12.2 million international migrants, nearly half of all migrants in Africa.

Highlighting data from the UN World Health Organisation, the IOM stated that by August 8, of the 12 African countries that reported an outbreak, six were from those regions.

As of July, new cases emerged in previously unaffected Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, with cross-border infection cited as a factor in the spread of disease.

The IOM is appealing for 13 countries Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The gesture is intended to support infection-prevention, control and response measures, particularly at border crossings.

It will help to fund awareness-raising activities among migrant and host communities, along with internally displaced persons.

“This preparedness and response plan aims to prepare for and respond to the anticipated surge in Mpox cases and mitigate the spread and the likely negative impacts of the virus spreading throughout the region,” the UN agency said.

IOM added that the region’s role as an “origin, destination and transit hub” for migrants could hinder disease prevention.

It added that plans were in place to continue building the capacity of national healthcare workers and front-line responders.

It is also enabling the identification of high-risk areas to ensure effective monitoring of the disease and reduce its spread from country to country.

“Vulnerable populations such as migrants and IDPs impacted by mpox, or at risk of being affected, must receive the necessary healthcare and protection. This is particularly in regions where access to such services is limited and have a high number of migrants and displaced populations,” IOM said in a statement.

The UN agency’s announcement comes one week since the UN World Health Organisation declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.

This followed the rapid spread of a new strain of the disease known as clade 1b from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 Clade 1b is mainly transmitted through sexual contact, although the WHO said on Tuesday that more research was needed into other potential modes of infection from the blisters associated with the disease, such as contaminated bedding.

Latest WHO data indicates more than 15,000 suspected cases in the DRC including 537 deaths so far.

The global total of mpox cases is more than 100,000.

The disease is known to transmit from animals to humans and spread by close contact with infected individuals or animals through respiratory droplets, blood, body fluids, or lesions.

Symptoms include fever, rash, headaches, sore throat, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and backache. 

(NAN)