Africa CDC has ended mpox’s continental emergency status, moving toward a longer-term, country-led response. Ethiopia is nearing the threshold for declaring the end of its Marburg outbreak under close surveillance. New research is pointing to possible additional vectors in cholera transmission amid a record resurgence, while Doctors Without Borders is warning about the lasting fallout from U.S. cuts to international aid. At the same time, the Gates Foundation and OpenAI have pledged $50 million to expand the use of artificial intelligence in African health systems…

Mpox is no longer classified as a continental public health emergency. The African Union health agency, Africa CDC, has lifted the emergency status for the viral disease, following advice from its Emergency Consultative Group.

According to Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, the decision allows surveillance to move down one level, shifting from crisis management to a longer-term response led by individual countries. The agency nonetheless highlighted several operational gains achieved during the emergency phase, including more than $1 billion mobilized, a sequencing capacity increased by more than tenfold, over 5 million vaccine doses deployed across 16 countries, and a research effort involving more than 2,000 scientists.

Between early 2025 and late 2025, suspected cases fell by 40%, while confirmed cases declined by 60%. The fatality rate among suspected cases reportedly dropped from 2.6% to 0.6%. A transition roadmap will now guide surveillance, vaccination, and preparedness efforts, with a stronger focus on local production.

The outbreak escalated in 2024, when more than 80,000 suspected cases and around 1,300 deaths were reported. This represented a more than fivefold increase in cases and a doubling of deaths compared with 2023. The Democratic Republic of Congo accounted for most of the burden, with 96% of cases and 97% of deaths, prompting Africa CDC to coordinate the response at the continental level.

Africa: study examines the role of flies in cholera transmission

A research team linked to the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa argues that cholera transmission in Africa is not limited to contaminated water and direct human contact.

According to the study, flies can mechanically carry the bacteria responsible for the disease by moving rapidly between contaminated environments and food. The researchers examined how often flies become contaminated, their ability to deposit bacteria on food, and how long they survive in the environment.

Study finds that flies can transmit cholera-causing pathogens. Africa carries the largest cholera burden, which is why an oral cholera vaccine trial is timeous.

Read More: https://t.co/suLAl01WCp#WitsForGood #WitsResearch #ResearchForGood pic.twitter.com/ukq3iMZvBC

— Wits University (@WitsUniversity) January 22, 2026

They found that when these factors are high, outbreaks are more likely to escalate. Conversely, if flies survive for shorter periods or transmit bacteria less efficiently, outbreaks tend to subside more easily.

The regional context adds weight to this hypothesis. In 2025, Africa CDC reported around 300,000 confirmed and suspected cholera cases across 20 countries, the highest level recorded in 25 years.

The authors note that weak water systems, poor sanitation, rapid urbanization, and climate shocks make transmission dynamics harder to predict. They call for stronger early-warning systems, improved forecasting, and faster response mechanisms.

On prevention, another analysis cited in the study suggests that vaccination coverage of at least 70% among high-risk groups, and between 62% and 65% in less exposed populations, would help interrupt transmission of the diarrheal disease.

Global health: MSF warns of lasting effects of U.S. aid cuts

Cuts in U.S. international aid triggered cascading effects on global health and humanitarian action in 2025, according to a recent publication from Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

In Somalia, MSF reports that funding interruptions halted therapeutic milk deliveries for several months. This coincided with a rise in severe malnutrition admissions at MSF-supported facilities, from 1,937 in the first nine months of 2024 to 3,355 over the same period in 2025.

In South Sudan, the withdrawal of financial support for 54 hospital staff created gaps in maternity care. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the cancellation of an order for 100,000 emergency kits for rape survivors worsened supply shortages.

According to the organization, the disruption goes beyond budget reallocations. MSF points to a shift in donor “doctrine,” with U.S. funding moving toward a more transactional bilateral approach and conditionalities that diverge from public health priorities. Other public donors have not filled the gap, and multiple funding cuts are compounding the strain, particularly in Europe.

Algeria moves closer to eliminating viral hepatitis

In Algeria, health authorities are approaching an ambitious target: the elimination of viral hepatitis. This is according to Professor Nabil Debzi, head of the liver disease department at Mustapha-Pacha University Hospital.

He points to a major therapeutic shift over the past three decades. In the early 1990s, treatment response rates were around 5%. Today, the stated goal is elimination. Targets set for 2026 align with global objectives, including a 90% reduction in new infections and a 65% decline in mortality.

Two main factors are cited as drivers of this progress. The first is local drug production, with generic medicines lowering costs for the state and improving access for patients. The second is better diagnosis, supported by the use of non-invasive diagnostic tools.

For hepatitis B, the introduction of vaccination at birth on January 1, 2003, is described as a turning point. When the full schedule is followed, effectiveness exceeds 95%. The vaccine also provides protection against hepatitis D. Professor Debzi reports that around 18 million Algerians have been vaccinated since the 1990s, following the integration of the vaccine into the national immunization program.

DRC: tuberculosis cases rise in Masisi amid drug shortages and insecurity

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a rise in tuberculosis cases has been reported in the Masisi health zone, in North Kivu. At least 344 cases have been recorded since the start of 2025, according to figures shared with the media by Flory Kubuya, supervising nurse at the Masisi general referral hospital.

#Tuberculose : recrudescence des cas due à la rupture de médicaments dans la zone de santé de Masisi https://t.co/yQHTWzM0nD

— Patrick MAKI (@PatrickMAMS7) January 21, 2026

The alert relates less to diagnosis than to treatment, which is described as severely compromised by shortages of anti-tuberculosis medicines.

The clinical protocol remains standard. Persistent cough combined with weight loss or night sweats leads to referral for sputum testing. The problem arises after confirmation. Some patients who test positive reportedly wait up to two months without treatment due to a lack of supplies. In the case of a transmissible disease such as tuberculosis, delayed treatment increases the risk of community spread and complicates epidemiological control.

Medical sources attribute the shortages to the security crisis in the territory, which has disrupted the delivery of medical supplies since February of the previous year. The supervising nurse has called on the National Tuberculosis Control Program and humanitarian partners to restore drug supplies.

Mozambique: severe floods disrupt roads and worsen access to health care

In Mozambique, floods described as among the most severe in recent years have affected more than 600,000 people, over half of them children. More than 50,000 people have been displaced and are sheltering in 62 emergency centers, many of which are overcrowded. UNICEF has warned that the situation could deteriorate further as the cyclone season begins.

Severe floods caused by heavy rains hit parts of Mozambique killing more than 100 people and forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
A red alert has been issued across some parts of the country as more rains are expected. pic.twitter.com/ooDFkcfNL6

— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) January 21, 2026

Field accounts highlight the impact on health care delivery. A missionary cited in local reports described medicine shortages linked to a Ministry of Health truck being immobilized and to roads cut off by flooding, with several sections rendered impassable. She also reported a lack of treatment for patients with diabetes and heart disease, as well as children arriving in critical condition, some unable to reach care because collapsed bridges block access.

The opening of dam spillways in Gaza province is cited as a factor that worsened the flooding, sparking debate over whether drainage measures were adequately anticipated. In this context, the Archbishop of Maputo has called for solidarity and concrete action through diocesan efforts, while urging the public to avoid sterile controversy.

Nigeria issues alert over suspected Lassa fever cases

In Nigeria’s Benue State, health authorities have reported seven new suspected cases of Lassa fever, according to the state epidemiologist, Dr. Asema Msuega. Samples have been collected and sent to a laboratory for confirmation.

While awaiting results, a public health response has been activated, including enhanced surveillance and community outreach.

Lassa fever is a viral disease transmitted mainly through rodents, via contaminated food or contact with excreta. Authorities are urging the public to follow basic preventive measures, such as covering food, reducing exposure to rodents, and strengthening hygiene and sanitation practices.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services said it has stepped up awareness campaigns, with a focus on rodent control, environmental sanitation, and cleanup operations, targeting identified hotspots.

Senegal records sharp decline in maternal mortality

In Senegal, maternal mortality indicators have improved significantly, with a decline of more than 50% in less than a decade, from 392 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 to 153 in 2023. Authorities acknowledge, however, that behind these gains, childbirth in many facilities remained associated with fear, lack of information, and impersonal care.

To address this gap in perceived quality, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, with support from the World Health Organization and a donor, has introduced a more respectful maternity care approach. The model is built on three pillars: birth preparedness for pregnant women, use of the Labour Management Guide by health workers, and psychological support throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

Following a pilot phase conducted between 2019 and 2023, the program was expanded in November 2023 to all facilities in the district. A total of 45 midwives have been trained, and more than 430 women have received support. The World Health Organization also reports that 2,700 midwives have been trained to use the tool, alongside 235 professionals trained in stress management. The strategy aims to reduce preventable deaths while improving patient experience and adherence to care.

East Africa: humanitarian crises and disease outbreaks intensify

East Africa accounts for some of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises. An estimated 48.5 million people in the region require assistance, representing around 20% of the global total. Nearly 70% of this burden is concentrated in Sudan, according to a regional situation overview.

Multiple drivers are converging, including climate change, conflict, political instability, disease outbreaks, and economic shocks. The region experienced very low rainfall during one of the driest October-to-December seasons on record, linked to La Niña. This has worsened drought conditions less than three years after the historic 2020–2023 episode. Between June 2025 and February 2026, nearly 36 million people in Burundi, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda are expected to face crisis levels of food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or higher. Malnutrition remains severe, affecting more than 8 million children under five and over 1.3 million pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Displacement has exceeded 25 million people, including 19.4 million internally displaced persons and 6 million refugees or asylum seekers. On the health front, the report points to a worsening epidemiological situation, with cholera, mpox, and Marburg outbreaks intensifying. The region accounted for more than one-third of global cholera cases in 2025, with close to 180,000 cases reported, up 36% year on year. Despite response efforts reaching 27.5 million people, only 34% of the $8.6 billion required was funded in 2025.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi