UNICEF appealed for $16.5 million (€14.8 million) in donations on Thursday to combat smallpox in eastern and southern Africa.
“Children and vulnerable communities are on the frontline of the growing smallpox outbreak in eastern and southern Africa. It has been detected More than 200 confirmed cases in five countries (Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa)”.
For this reason, the organization highlighted urgent funding of €14.8 million to scale up response and preparedness across the region.
The statement indicated that “funding requirements will be reviewed periodically as the situation evolves rapidly.”
The new variola virus variant (clade 1b) has been identified in all affected countries, except South Africa, which is of concern because of its potential for wider transmission among age groups, especially young children.
UNICEF stated that Burundi has recorded the highest number of infections in both regions..
As of August 20, 170 confirmed cases had been detected in 26 of the country's 49 provinces, 45.3% of whom were women.
Children and adolescents under the age of 20 account for nearly 60% of cases detected in Burundi, and children under the age of five account for 21% of infections, according to the United Nations.
“The new strain poses a serious threat to vulnerable children and families,” said Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.
“In addition to immediate life-saving response, risk communication efforts and cross-border cooperation, investments in strengthening the global health system must be prioritised,” Kadili stressed.
On the 14th of this month, the World Health Organization declared an international health alert regarding smallpox, an infectious disease that can cause swollen glands and a painful or itchy rash, including blisters or pustules.
The WHO health alert is linked to the rapid spread and high mortality rate of the new variant in Africa and the first case in Sweden of a traveler who had been to an area of Africa where the virus is spreading intensively.
This variant is different from type 2, which caused a violent outbreak in Africa in 2022 and hundreds of cases in Europe, North America and countries in other regions, and has already led to the declaration of an international health emergency in 2022 and 2023.
The African Union's public health agency said on Tuesday that 12 member states of the African Union have reported 18,910 smallpox cases and 541 deaths so far in 2024, although the vast majority of infections have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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