876 - Preventing Mpox Transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mar 31, 2025

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About this episode:

Amidst an ongoing outbreak of a deadly clade of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs has been part of the response team. Working with local partners, CCP has developed community outreach and strategic communications campaigns to help protect people, reduce transmission, and get the outbreak under control. When USAID funding was abruptly canceled, the program was granted a waiver to continue work. But now, as the waiver faces expiration, the program's future is uncertain which could put the DRC, Africa, and even the world at risk of an mpox epidemic.

Guests:

Dr. Didier Mbayi Kangudie is the Chief of Party for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He spent 11 years with USAID as a senior health advisor and has more than 25 years of experience blending clinical work, public health and global health programming.

Shannon McAfee is team lead for Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs country programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea, which include projects focused on integrated health, the GHSA portfolio, education, Ebola, and the COVID-19 response. She has 25 years of experience designing, leading and implementing health and development projects across 16 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

Host:

Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Show links and related content:

CCP Resumes Mpox Oubreak Prevention Work in the Democratic Republic of Congo—Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
African Governments Falling Short on Healthcare Funding: Slow Progress 23 Years After Landmark Abuja Declaration—Human Rights Watch
Why The Mpox Crisis Spreading Across Africa is a Global Concern—Public Health On Call (August 2024)

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