review · Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is experiencing a complex health crisis, termed a syndemic, involving concurrent outbreaks of multiple infectious diseases such as mpox, cholera, measles, anthrax, and plague. Between January 2023 and March 2024, mpox alone accounted for 3319 confirmed cases and a 6.7% fatality rate, with significant outbreaks across many provinces. Cholera persisted in eastern provinces, while anthrax affected cattle-raising villages and plague was reported in Ituri. Vulnerable populations, including children, mothers, and the elderly, face heightened risks due to poor healthcare access, hunger, and existing medical conditions. Cultural beliefs, healthcare system weaknesses, and socioeconomic instability further complicate effective response efforts, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, immunisation, and community involvement.
Understanding the complex interplay of multiple disease outbreaks in the DRC is crucial for public health. This research highlights how concurrent infections, combined with socioeconomic factors and healthcare challenges, create a severe syndemic, demanding integrated and strengthened health system responses to protect vulnerable populations and mitigate widespread health crises.
The abstract focuses on public health challenges, surveillance, immunisation, and strengthening health systems through international cooperation and integrated initiatives. It does not indicate an application pathway for commercialisation.
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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces a syndemic of infectious diseases, including monkeypox (mpox), cholera, measles, anthrax, and plague, worsening public health challenges and socioeconomic disparities. This review synthesizes and discusses epidemiological data and consequences of simultaneous outbreaks in the DRC between January 2023 and March 2024. The findings highlight a 6.7% fatality rate and 3319 confirmed cases of mpox, with significant outbreaks in Kinshasa and 22 other provinces. Anthrax occasionally surfaced among cattle-raising villages, measles affected fewer than five children susceptible to the disease, and cholera outbreaks persisted in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika. Plague incidences, mostly bubonic, have been reported in Ituri province. Vulnerable groups, including children, mothers, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, face increased risks due to poor healthcare access, hunger, and underlying medical conditions. Cultural beliefs, healthcare system issues, and socioeconomic instability impede effective response tactics. This strain on the fragile healthcare system highlights the need for increased surveillance, immunization efforts, and community involvement. To mitigate the effects of syndemic outbreaks, strengthening the DRC's health systems through international cooperation, integrated public health initiatives, and improved access to healthcare is crucial.
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DOI: 10.1155/tbed/1962224
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