As monkeypox cases continue to be registered in various countries in the world, Rwanda has launched a preparedness and response plan worth Rwf10 billion, aimed at preventing or responding to the outbreak, in case it shows up in the country.
Information from Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) shows that no case has been registered in the country so far.
Last month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
A PHEIC is a formal declaration by the WHO of "an extraordinary event” which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.
Since January 1, cases of monkeypox have been reported to the WHO from 96 member states across all the 6 WHO regions.
As of Monday, August 22, a total of 41,664 laboratory confirmed cases and 192 probable cases, including 12 deaths, have been reported to the WHO.
Rwanda’s preparedness and response plan is aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality and socio-economic impact attributable to monkeypox through prompt detection and effective management of cases, effective social mobilisation and improved coordination of the control activities.
Among other things, the plan will: see the rapid assessment and prioritisation of districts and vulnerable populations, put in place compensation and package benefits for all high-risk workers, and offer training to medics as well as bimonthly refresher drills.
As part of the plan, RBC aims at putting efforts into enhancing public awareness of monkeypox, establish Infection Prevention and Control Units (IPC) in various places, establish subnational molecular diagnosis capacity in priority districts, allocate 24/7 hotline for citizens’ inquiries about the disease, improve case tracking, among other things.
Priority districts so far are: Rubavu, Rutsiro, Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rusizi – which are close to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which has already registered some cases of monkeypox.
Gasabo, Nyarugenge and Kicukiro are also priority districts since they are in the city of Kigali, a centre where people from various parts of the country convene.
Rwanda also looks to work with neighbouring countries to establish bilateral cross border mechanisms for sharing surveillance data.
Tharcisse Mpunga, the Minister of State in Charge of Primary Healthcare, in an interview with media said the country is well prepared because monkeypox is not the first epidemic that the country is confronting.
He gave an example of Ebola – which has never been registered in Rwanda, despite being reported in the neighbouring countries in the past years, and Covid-19 which the country dealt with in an efficient way.
"Those times (of facing epidemics) encouraged us to put in place structures, workers and necessary equipment to confront epidemics that would come after,” he said.
"We look at monkeypox as an epidemic that is coming after such other epidemics, and it will find Rwanda prepared and having in place the necessities to deal with it, especially that it is not a very dangerous disease in comparison to those we have faced before,” he added.