Commission supports the partnership to accelerate mpox testing in Africa
The Commission, through the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), is supporting the Partnership to Accelerate mpox Testing in Africa, with €9.4 million. This will strengthen mpox detection and monitoring, while also supporting innovative tests.
This support will also help procure at least 150,000 diagnostic tests and deliver 5000 mpox genome sequences, that will help to understand the spread and the evolution of the virus. It will increase local and regional capabilities in sample collection, transport, testing and sequencing and as well as supporting large-size procurement schemes. We will support innovation by funding locally developed mpox tests and clinical validation of such tests.
The funds will be managed by a Consortium led by Africa Centre for Disease Control, with the Africa Society for Laboratory Medicine, from 1 June 2025 until 31 May 2028.
Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib (pictured) said: “While vaccines and therapeutics are important medical countermeasures, only a holistic approach can fully contain and end an outbreak. Diagnostics are essential for the prompt detection, isolation and early treatment of cases, while sequencing is critical to monitor viral evolutions that can result in more serious, deadly or infective variants. Our support is also strengthening EU health security, reducing the risks related to cases importation and cross-border spillovers. We remain committed to targeting mpox and reducing such cross-border threat to health.”
The funding is part of HERA's support to the African continent for the 2024-2025 mpox outbreak, which also included the direct purchase and donation of 200,000 doses of vaccines and the coordination of the EU Member States vaccine donations numbering over 400,000.
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