The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an alert regarding a mysterious illness plaguing the Kwango province, located in the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This disease, first detected on October 24, has already infected nearly 400 people, and 79 of them have lost their lives. The WHO has expressed concerns about a high risk of spread of this disease due to various obstacles that complicate control and response efforts.
Difficult access and precarious security conditions
The alert published by WHO highlights several factors that hamper the effectiveness of the health response in this Panzi health zone. One of the biggest challenges is the region’s isolation. Indeed, access to the area is particularly difficult, notably due to the geographical remoteness and seasonal climatic conditions, with rains which further complicate travel. The time required to reach this region is estimated at around 48 hours from the capital, Kinshasa.
This extended delay prevents the authorities from reacting quickly and identifying the exact cause of the disease, especially since diagnostic resources are lacking in this part of the country. In addition to logistical difficulties, insecurity represents another aggravating factor. The country faces armed groups who sow terror in certain regions, including Kwango. These groups can pose a direct threat to health teams and local populations, complicating the implementation of an effective health response.
Kwango, a worrying but localized situation
. The WHO emphasizes the need to overcome these obstacles to quickly contain the spread of this disease. Nationally, the risk of spread of this disease is assessed as moderate, given that it is currently confined to the Panzi health zone. However, the WHO warns that there is a potential for spread to neighboring areas, especially as the surveillance and response system remains insufficient.
Hence the need for increased preparation and increased vigilance to prevent this epidemic from becoming a broader threat to the DRC and its neighbors. This phenomenon of unknown diseases or new epidemics is far from being an isolated case in Africa, and more particularly in the DRC. The country has regularly been hit by epidemics of infectious diseases, often in isolated areas, where access to care and information is limited.
The history of epidemics in the DRC and Africa
One of the most publicized epidemics was that of the Ebola virus, which has wreaked havoc in the DRC in recent years, particularly in 2018-2020. This Ebola epidemic caused more than 2,000 deaths and showed how crucial it was to strengthen health surveillance and response systems in Central Africa. The DRC is not the only one facing such epidemics.
Other African countries, such as Nigeria, Guinea, Sudan, and Liberia, have been affected by similar health crises, whether measles, Lassa fever or viral disease. Ebola. Each new epidemic is a reminder of the structural challenges that Africa must face, such as failing health infrastructure, limited access to care, insecurity in certain regions, as well as the management of human and material resources in situations emergency.
Need for a collective response
Faced with this threat in Kwango, the WHO has already taken action by sending biological samples to the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa to determine the origin of the disease. The WHO underlines the importance of strengthening prevention and intervention mechanisms, especially in a continent where health risks are multiple and often unpredictable.
