{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T16:58:49Z","timestamp":1785430729665,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":9,"publisher":"AOSIS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785456000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Mpox, caused by the mpox virus, has evolved from isolated cases in endemic regions to widespread outbreaks affecting multiple countries in Africa. The Research and Innovation pillar of the Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST) was established to generate evidence that supports response efforts, including analysing the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical trials and health research on mpox across Africa. This article describes the achievements, challenges faced and lessons learned from mpox research efforts. The contributions of research to the mpox response by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are crucial to managing infectious disease outbreaks across the continent. Multiple research initiatives were coordinated across Member States, including socio-behavioural, epidemiological, diagnostic, vaccine and therapeutic studies. Key achievements included the establishment of a coordinated continental research platform, initiation of multi-country studies and mapping of ongoing mpox research activities across Africa. Challenges included bureaucratic procedures, delays in funding disbursement, ethical approval bottlenecks, coordination complexities and surveillance gaps that affected timely research implementation. Addressing these gaps has the potential to enhance evidence-based decision-making and provide valuable lessons for improving future epidemic preparedness and response in Africa.\nContribution:\u00a0The mpox research demonstrated the vitality of collaborative research efforts, the need for continuous, systematic monitoring of its progress and the need for real-time dissemination of research findings to inform practices that ensure an effective response to mpox. Real-time dissemination of research findings, starting with early community engagement, is critical to ensure that research findings are translated into action.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/jphia.v17i1.1867","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T06:34:03Z","timestamp":1785393243000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Mpox research coordination to effectively support response efforts in Africa: Lessons learned, challenges, and way forward"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8740-4072","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mosoka P.","family":"Fallah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0827-6442","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olayinka S.","family":"Ilesanmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-3457-369X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abigael A.","family":"Mesfin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-6745-1758","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shahd","family":"Osman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3218-883X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oluwatoyosi","family":"Olawande","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1896-1208","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tamrat","family":"Shaweno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6823-8539","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yap","family":"Boum II","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5406-4171","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nebiyu","family":"Dereje","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0460-937X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ngashi","family":"Ngongo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-9326-1842","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean","family":"Kaseya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01d9dbd65","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"Africa CDC. Africa CDC declares mpox a public health emergency of continental security, mobilizing resources across the continent [homepage on the Internet]. Africa CDC; 2024 [cited 2026 Jan 09]. Available from: https:\/\/africacdc.org\/news-item\/africa-cdc-declares-mpox-a-public-health-emergency-of-continental-security-mobilizing-resources-across-the-continent\/"},{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ndembi N, Folayan MO, Ngongo N, et al. Mpox outbreaks in Africa constitute a public health emergency of continental security. Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(10):e1577\u2013e1579. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00363-2","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00363-2"},{"key":"ref2","unstructured":"Africa CDC. Statute of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) [homepage on the Internet]. Africa CDC; 2024 [cited 2026 Jan 09]. Available from: https:\/\/africacdc.org\/download\/statute-of-the-africa-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-africa-cdc\/"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ndembi N, Ngongo N, Fol\u00e1yan MO, et al. Africans mpox strategic preparedness and response plan: A coordinated continental effort to boost health security. Lancet Glob Health. 2025;13(2):e191\u2013e193. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00464-9","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00464-9"},{"key":"ref4","unstructured":"Africa CDC. Africa CDC and WHO launch joint continental plan to scale up mpox outbreak response [homepage on the Internet]. Africa CDC; 2023 [cited 2026 Jan 09]. Available from: https:\/\/africacdc.org\/news-item\/african-cdc-and-who-launch-joint-continental-plan-to-scale-up-mpox-outbreak-response\/"},{"key":"ref5","unstructured":"Africa CDC. Mpox Research and Innovation \u2013 Aligning research response with outbreak goals [homepage on the Internet]. Africa CDC; 2024 [cited 2026 Jan 09]. Available from: https:\/\/africacdc.org\/news-item\/mpox-research-and-innovation-aligning-research-response-with-outbreak-goals\/"},{"key":"ref6","unstructured":"CEPI. Mpox outbreak and study sites [homepage on the Internet]. 2025 [cited 2026 Jan 09]. Available from: https:\/\/cepi-shiny-apps.shinyapps.io\/mpox-map\/"},{"key":"ref7","unstructured":"WHO. Mpox continental preparedness and response plan for Africa. WHO | Regional Office for Africa [homepage on the Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Jan 14]. Available from: https:\/\/www.afro.who.int\/publications\/mpox-continental-preparedness-and-response-plan-africa"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rahim FO, Fallah M, Jain U, et al. Challenges and ongoing actions to address the mpox emergency in Africa. Ann Glob Health. 2024;90(1):68. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5334\/aogh.4580","DOI":"10.5334\/aogh.4580"}],"container-title":["Journal of Public Health in Africa"],"original-title":[],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T06:34:05Z","timestamp":1785393245000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/view\/1867"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"references-count":9,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/jphia.v17i1.1867","relation":{},"ISSN":["2038-9922","2038-9930"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2038-9922","type":"print"},{"value":"2038-9930","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"article-number":"a1867"}}