Kinshasa [Congo], December 20 : World Health Organization on Friday dispatched oxygen concentrators, lab supplies, rapid malaria tests, and essential medicines to hospitals and health centres in Democratic Republic of Congo's Panzi health zone and other areas affected from malaria outbreak.
WHO in African Region, taking to X, informed the efforts made by the organisation to reinforce healthcare services in the country to tackle the disease.
"Oxygen concentrators, more lab supplies, rapid #malaria tests & essential medicines from @OMSRDCONGO are on their way to communities, hospitals & health centres in #Panzi & affected areas in Congo. @WHO is helping reinforce healthcare services so those affected get the care they need & is supporting efforts to determine what is making people sick," WHO African Region wrote on X.
Congo heath ministry has informed that the southwestern Kwango province, is gripped by the severe form of Malaria, Al Jazeera reported.
It's a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory illness," the Ministry of Public Health said in a statement, adding that malnutrition in the area had weakened the local population, leaving them more vulnerable to disease.
Earlier this month, local authorities said that 143 people have lost their lives in the country's Panzi health zone in November.
Moreover, the Ministry of health in a statement said that 592 cases had been reported since October, with a fatality rate of 6.2 per cent, Al Jazeera reported.
Congo is facing one health hazard after another as in July of this year, WHO declared global health emergency due to the Mpox outbreak in the country.
In September of this year, Congo received its first shipment of mpox vaccines to tackle the Mpox outbreak.
According to Al Jazeera , the mpox vaccines received by Congo come from Bavarian Nordic, a Danish pharmaceutical laboratory. This vaccine is currently the only one approved for use in Europe and the United States, and is only available for adults.