Mbanza Kongo - The Angolan Women's Organisation (OMA), in northern Zaire province, is promoting a campaign to raise awareness and educate the population living in the municipalities bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) about the monkeypox outbreak ravaging this neighbouring country.
According to the provincial secretary of the OMA, Isabel Deviya Luvenga, speaking to ANGOP Friday, the campaign will kick off next Tuesday in the border commune of Luvo, 60 kilometres north of the city of Mbanza Kongo.
She added that the campaign, which will involve more than 50 women from the ruling party's women's organisation, will be extended to all the municipalities in the region that share a border with the DRC.
‘With this activity, the OMA intends to educate communities living in border towns with the DRC about the symptoms and prevention measures they should observe in the event of any occurrence of this disease in our region,’ she said.
According to the secretary, the border town of Luvo was chosen as the starting point for this campaign because it is one of the main ports of exit and entry for nationals and foreigners into the country.
‘We want our population living along the border and beyond to know about the causes and consequences of this epidemic, which continues to claim fatalities in the neighbouring country,’ he reiterated, stressing that the awareness campaign will be door-to-door.
At least four municipalities in northern Zaire province share a border with the DRC, namely Mbanza Kongo, Soyo, Cuimba and Nóqui, covering 310 kilometres.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded 537 deaths from monkeypox since the beginning of 2024 to date, out of more than 15,000 suspected cases reported.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus that causes symptoms such as chills, muscle pain, excessive tiredness and the appearance of blisters and sores on the skin.
This disease can be transmitted through close and prolonged contact with sores and respiratory secretions released by the infected person when coughing or talking. JL/DAN/DOJ
