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Response to the mox epidemic in Madagascar: a high-level WHO mission to strengthen strategic direction and operational impact
January 26, 2026
Antananarivo, January 25, 2026 – In response to the mox epidemic declared on December 30, 2025, in Madagascar, characterized by active community transmission and progressive geographic spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying a high-level mission led by the Regional Emergency Director to provide strategic and operational support to the national response. As of January 26, 2026, the country had reported 485 cases of mox, including 182 confirmed and 303 suspected cases, with no deaths reported to date. Of the 350 samples analyzed, 182 were positive and 168 were negative, representing a positivity rate of 52%, indicating active circulation of the virus, with a marked concentration of cases in Mahajanga, in the Boeny region.
...Although the National Public Health Emergency Operations Center has been activated and response actions are being implemented with the support of partners, the response continues to face several challenges, including strategic leadership and the mobilization of sufficient resources to support the functionality of technical committees, laboratory capacity, application of infection prevention and control and WASH standards, epidemiological surveillance, risk communication and community engagement. In this context, the mission planned from 25 to 31 January 2026 aims to strengthen strategic leadership, coordination, partner engagement and operational effectiveness of the national response, to consolidate alignment between the Government, WHO, the United Nations System and partners, to assess key capacities throughout the response and to define a short-term operational roadmap.
“This high-level mission aims to support national authorities in the rapid identification of operational priorities, the strengthening of critical capacities and the implementation of concrete and context-appropriate solutions, in order to ensure a coherent and effective response to mpox,” said Dr. BELIZAIRE, Marie Roseline Darnycka, Regional Director of Emergencies at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
The mission will take place in Antananarivo and Mahajanga, in the Boeny region. It will include internal meetings with the WHO, high-level meetings with health authorities and the UN Resident Coordinator, technical working sessions with the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and its committees, supervisory visits to laboratories, treatment centers, and care facilities, as well as coordination meetings with technical and financial partners, including the World Bank. Discussions with regional authorities, health facilities, and local partners will also be held in Mahajanga, followed by a regional debriefing and the formulation of operational recommendations.
“WHO remains fully committed to working alongside the Government of Madagascar to strengthen preparedness and response to health emergencies.
This mission will help consolidate coordination, optimize operational impact and support the rapid implementation of priority actions, particularly in the most affected areas,” said Professor Laurent Musango, WHO Representative in Madagascar.
At the end of the mission, strengthened strategic leadership, clearly defined operational priorities, a consolidated capacity assessment, a validated roadmap, and an operational monitoring mechanism are expected. The World Health Organization reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Government of Madagascar in strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies, in order to effectively contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa and protect the health of the population.
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https://www.afro.who.int/fr/countri...rientation?country=Madagascar&name=Madagascar
Response to the mox epidemic in Madagascar: a high-level WHO mission to strengthen strategic direction and operational impact
January 26, 2026
Antananarivo, January 25, 2026 – In response to the mox epidemic declared on December 30, 2025, in Madagascar, characterized by active community transmission and progressive geographic spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying a high-level mission led by the Regional Emergency Director to provide strategic and operational support to the national response. As of January 26, 2026, the country had reported 485 cases of mox, including 182 confirmed and 303 suspected cases, with no deaths reported to date. Of the 350 samples analyzed, 182 were positive and 168 were negative, representing a positivity rate of 52%, indicating active circulation of the virus, with a marked concentration of cases in Mahajanga, in the Boeny region.
...Although the National Public Health Emergency Operations Center has been activated and response actions are being implemented with the support of partners, the response continues to face several challenges, including strategic leadership and the mobilization of sufficient resources to support the functionality of technical committees, laboratory capacity, application of infection prevention and control and WASH standards, epidemiological surveillance, risk communication and community engagement. In this context, the mission planned from 25 to 31 January 2026 aims to strengthen strategic leadership, coordination, partner engagement and operational effectiveness of the national response, to consolidate alignment between the Government, WHO, the United Nations System and partners, to assess key capacities throughout the response and to define a short-term operational roadmap.
“This high-level mission aims to support national authorities in the rapid identification of operational priorities, the strengthening of critical capacities and the implementation of concrete and context-appropriate solutions, in order to ensure a coherent and effective response to mpox,” said Dr. BELIZAIRE, Marie Roseline Darnycka, Regional Director of Emergencies at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
The mission will take place in Antananarivo and Mahajanga, in the Boeny region. It will include internal meetings with the WHO, high-level meetings with health authorities and the UN Resident Coordinator, technical working sessions with the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and its committees, supervisory visits to laboratories, treatment centers, and care facilities, as well as coordination meetings with technical and financial partners, including the World Bank. Discussions with regional authorities, health facilities, and local partners will also be held in Mahajanga, followed by a regional debriefing and the formulation of operational recommendations.
“WHO remains fully committed to working alongside the Government of Madagascar to strengthen preparedness and response to health emergencies.
This mission will help consolidate coordination, optimize operational impact and support the rapid implementation of priority actions, particularly in the most affected areas,” said Professor Laurent Musango, WHO Representative in Madagascar.
At the end of the mission, strengthened strategic leadership, clearly defined operational priorities, a consolidated capacity assessment, a validated roadmap, and an operational monitoring mechanism are expected. The World Health Organization reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Government of Madagascar in strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies, in order to effectively contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa and protect the health of the population.
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https://www.afro.who.int/fr/countri...rientation?country=Madagascar&name=Madagascar