Peace extends beyond the cessation of conflict; it’s the bedrock of health security. Since January, clashes between M23 rebels and the Congolese army in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have displaced hundreds of thousands.
The war in eastern DRC has significantly hampered efforts to control the spread of deadly diseases in a region already grappling with outbreaks of mpox, Ebola, cholera, malaria, and measles. In 2023, as the world recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, the DRC reported over 12,000 suspected mpox cases, a viral illness similar to smallpox.
The outbreak of war in January worsened the epidemics in eastern DRC, damaging healthcare infrastructure and severely restricting access to health services, especially vaccinations. Most mpox cases in the DRC originated in conflict-affected areas, turning these communities into centers of uncontrolled disease transmission.
As the leader of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, a public health agency of the African Union, I mobilized response teams with the World Health Organization and other partners. We intervened with disease surveillance, vaccination, case management, and risk communication to curb the spread of mpox.
The armed conflict in eastern DRC greatly hindered our containment efforts. Disease surveillance teams were grounded due to dangerous travel conditions. Clinics were looted, health workers attacked, and vaccines never reached their intended destinations. For conflict-area communities, the promise of vaccination remained unfulfilled.
By July, the mpox outbreak had spread beyond the DRC, impacting lives and livelihoods in over 25 African countries. In 2024, African Union countries reported 72,506 mpox cases and 1,288 deaths. By late July, the number of mpox cases had reached 89,566 across 25 African Union countries, with 720 deaths reported by eight member states.
On July 19, the DRC government and M23 rebels signed a Declaration of Principles in Qatar, committing to a ceasefire, which provides an opportunity to rebuild health systems, restore early warning systems, and deliver essential care to vulnerable communities.
Without peace, diseases spread unhindered. With peace, outbreaks can be contained at their source. The situation in eastern DRC could determine whether the next pandemic is prevented or allowed to spread globally.
Waging peace, preventing epidemics
Health security is unattainable without peace. We commend the DRC peace agreement signatories’ commitment to enhanced cross-border public health cooperation, including joint disease prevention in border regions, coordinated epidemic control, and information sharing to advance scientific research and health-related commercial opportunities.
Peace facilitates the vaccination of vulnerable children, the testing and treatment of diseases such as malaria and mpox, and the restoration of underperforming early warning systems. It fosters trust, encouraging people to seek care, accept vaccines, and report symptoms. Without peace, even the best interventions fail, and mobile clinics can finally reach marginalized communities.
Peace creates the environment to rebuild and transform the DRC’s health system into a resilient, inclusive, and community-centered system capable of withstanding future shocks and serving future generations.
To achieve this, we need urgent investments in peace, health infrastructure, and equitable access to care. The Africa CDC proposed a plan to the United States, positioning health as a key driver of economic growth, peacebuilding, and regional integration, uniting the DRC, Rwanda, Angola, and Zambia.
Aligned with U.S.–Africa health security partnerships, our proposal seeks $645 million to fund health systems in and around mining corridors—disease surveillance labs, emergency responses, worker and community health services—to mitigate the risk of future epidemics disrupting mines and critical mineral supply chains. This health finance initiative would serve as a catalyst for raising $3 billion in co-financing from development banks, private sectors, and philanthropic organizations for health-related mining infrastructure.
Our proposal offers a model for linking biosecurity with economic resilience by integrating health infrastructure into vital mineral corridors, deploying advanced bio-surveillance technologies, and creating up to 100,000 jobs through local manufacturing. It would ensure mineral security is supported by robust health systems across Central and Southern Africa.
Rebuilding Africa’s health systems
The DRC government must prioritize health in its recovery plan, including rebuilding healthcare facilities, investing in a skilled health workforce, strengthening disease surveillance systems, and ensuring timely community access to care. Outbreaks must be detected and contained early to prevent crises.
Cross-border coordination and disease surveillance are vital because viruses do not recognize borders. As the mpox epidemic demonstrated, an outbreak in a remote village can escalate into a global emergency.
International donors and global health agencies must shift from emergency aid to supporting health system rebuilding. This involves funding malaria prevention, mpox response, and resilient, community-based surveillance networks.
Finally, the negotiating parties—the DRC, Rwanda, and M23 rebels—must uphold humanitarian access and protect the right to health as a cornerstone of peace. A permanent and respected ceasefire is essential.
When diseases spread unchecked in an environment of silence, mistrust, and misinformation, we risk the next global pandemic. When communities are empowered, health systems are strong, and peace is more than a promise, it becomes a platform for health security and progress.
The peace agreement in the DRC has the potential to shape the future for generations. The next outbreak can be stopped before it begins. A child with malaria can survive. Epidemics like mpox can be controlled at their origin. Peace marks the beginning of healing, rebuilding, and resilience. The United States and the world must not ignore this opportunity.
“`
