Africa: Statement Against Travel Restrictions In Response to Mpox and Marburg Virus Outbreaks

Katson Maliro/WHO
WHO is scaling up the response to curb the growing mpox outbreak in Africa.
8 October 2024
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Addis Ababa)
press release

In light of the ongoing Mpox and Marburg virus outbreaks, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) urges all countries to refrain from implementing travel bans or movement restrictions targeting African nations. Such measures are inconsistent with international health guidelines and risk undermining public health responses, deepening economic challenges, and reigniting the inequities and mistrust that surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly between the Global North and the Global South.

Under the International Health Regulations (2005), travel restrictions are discouraged unless there is compelling evidence to justify them. Historically, these measures have proven counterproductive -delaying response efforts, fostering public anxiety, and disrupting global mobility. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC recommend focusing on stronger surveillance, early detection, case management, targeted vaccination, and community engagement as the most effective strategies to manage outbreaks.

Africa CDC commends the leadership of African countries currently managing Mpox and Marburg virus outbreaks for their swift action, transparency, and dedication to public health. These countries are taking decisive action and need support to enhance their surveillance systems, strengthen case management protocols, and expand contact tracing efforts. In collaboration with global and regional partners, Africa CDC has deployed support and expert teams to the most affected areas, ensuring timely access to medical countermeasures (MCMs) such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

Africa CDC reminds global partners of the pressing need to support Africa's pursuit of self-reliance in manufacturing MCMs. It is unacceptable that, despite the lessons from COVID-19, Africa remains dependent on external donations for critical health resources. The African Union (AU) has already taken decisive steps to address this issue, mandating Africa CDC to extend its scope from vaccines to all MCMs and establishing the African Pool Procurement Mechanism to ensure equitable access to affordable, high-quality medical products across the continent.

Instead of resorting to restrictive travel measures, Africa CDC urges all countries to adopt the following evidence-based approaches to managing these outbreaks:

  1. Promote accurate and up-to-date public health information (https://x.com/RDBrwanda; https://x.com/rbcrwanda?lang=en; https://x.com/africacdc) to ensure travelers understand how to protect themselves.
  2. Strengthen transparency, cross-border surveillance and information sharing, facilitating timely detection and response to cases.
  3. Foster regional and global collaboration to mobilize essential resources such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines in an equitable manner.

Africa CDC reaffirms its commitment to working closely with all affected countries and international partners to combat the Mpox and Marburg outbreaks through coordinated, science-driven solutions that prioritize health security and economic stability.

Read the original article on Africa CDC.

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