Strengthening Africa’s mpox diagnostic capacity for enhanced epidemic preparedness and response

Our findings

• Urgent need for robust mpox diagnostics. Limited access to effective mpox diagnostic tools is severely impacting outbreak response, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where testing coverage falls significantly short of the 80% threshold needed for outbreak control.
• Investment in diagnostic development and local manufacturing ecosystem. Africa has a heavy reliance on imported diagnostics, underscoring the critical need to build local and regional manufacturing capacity. Ongoing investment in development and production could mitigate future supply chain disruptions and ensure timely testing access.
• Gaps in point-of-care (POC) diagnostic technology and access. The availability of POC diagnostics can address infrastructure constraints by providing accessible, rapid testing solutions, especially in low-resource settings.
• Call for sustained funding and regional coordination. To avoid reactive, short-term responses, long-term funding and regional coordination, led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are essential to strengthen diagnostic capabilities and improve data sharing for timely intervention.