What we learnt from the DRC’s malaria outbreak

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What we learnt from the DRC’s malaria outbreak
Author: Placide Mbala Kingebeni, KRUTIKA KUPPALLI
Published: Jan, 06 2025 14:06

Countless deaths are a reminder that, in our interconnected world, no one is truly safe until everyone is. Copy link. twitter. facebook. whatsapp. email. In the remote village of Panzi, nestled deep within Kwango province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a deadly outbreak has emerged. Between October 24 and December 5, 2024, the WHO reported 406 cases and 31 deaths linked to a mysterious disease that disproportionately impacted children. Patients presented with fever, headaches, cough, fatigue, and runny noses, but severe complications – such as difficulty breathing, acute anaemia, and malnutrition – proved fatal, with over 70 per cent of deaths occurring in children under the age of 15.

After weeks of investigation, health officials identified severe malaria as the cause of illness. Acute malnutrition due to food insecurity, inadequate diagnostics, and a fragile healthcare system with limited access to essential medications significantly contributed to the high mortality rate. These factors created a perfect storm of vulnerability, with delayed diagnoses and treatment compounding the severity of cases. Local health posts, already operating with minimal resources, were unable to meet the surge in demand, leaving many patients without the life-saving care they needed. The crisis underscores the urgent need for strengthening healthcare infrastructure and addressing underlying social determinants of health in the region.

The malaria outbreak in Panzi is more than an urgent humanitarian crisis – it is a stark reminder of the fragility of global health systems and the need to prepare for both emerging and known infectious diseases. The world must act swiftly, not only to address this immediate crisis but to strengthen health systems in DRC and other resource limited settings to prevent future outbreaks.

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