The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed a real-time PCR test for mpox developed in Morocco, marking a significant breakthrough in Africa’s fight against the outbreak.
This announcement, made on Thursday, comes three months after the Africa CDC declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency, underscoring the urgency of strengthening diagnostic capabilities on the continent.
The Morocco-produced test, hailed as the first of its kind locally manufactured in Africa, has been commended for its reliability and efficiency in detecting pathogen DNA in blood, saliva, or tissue samples.
“This major milestone aligns with the African Union’s initiative to strengthen self-sufficiency in public health systems across the continent,” Africa CDC stated.
The development is expected to enhance Africa’s disease preparedness and response capacity.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has posed a severe health challenge in Africa this year, with over 50,000 cases and approximately 1,100 deaths recorded across the continent.
Central Africa has borne the brunt of the outbreak, accounting for 85% of cases and nearly all fatalities.
The disease, caused by a virus transmitted from animals to humans, can also spread through close physical contact. It is characterized by fever, muscle aches, and painful boil-like lesions, which can be fatal in severe cases.
The endorsement of the Moroccan test follows last month’s World Health Organization approval of the Alinity m MPXV assay, a diagnostic test manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc. This test detects mpox from swabs taken from skin lesions.
The Africa CDC’s recognition of the locally produced test highlights the continent’s growing focus on reducing dependency on imported health solutions and increasing local innovation in public health systems.
As part of the African Union’s broader strategy, the endorsement signifies a commitment to ensuring that African nations can tackle disease outbreaks with locally developed tools.
The Africa CDC and WHO continue to collaborate on addressing the mpox outbreak, which both organizations declared a public health emergency in mid-August.
Africa CDC called for continued investment in local health infrastructure to combat current and future health crises, emphasizing that such initiatives would safeguard the continent’s health security and independence.
