The current multicountry Mpox outbreak started in January 2022. It has now been declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (Phecs) by the Africa CDC and, for the second time, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (Pheic) by WHO, under the International Health Regulations (2005) highlighting critical deficiencies in the global public health response.

Endemic to West and Central Africa, the first human case of Mpox was detected in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nigeria experienced a large outbreak in 2017 and 2018. Only sporadic cases occurred outside endemic areas before 2022.

According to the World Health Organisation, most people suffering Mpox recover within two to four weeks. The disease is transmitted through close, personal, skin-to-skin contact with someone who has Mpox, contaminated materials, or with infected animals. Transmission could also occur during pregnancy or childbirth and among people with multiple sexual partners, who represent a high-risk population.

Despite early warnings, failures in implementing robust surveillance, contact tracing, and containment strategies have allowed the virus to spread across at least 120 countries. In the DRC, where the outbreak has been particularly severe, two distinct outbreaks are evolving, caused by clade Ia and the newly emerged clade Ib.

Increasingly, and rightly so, voices are coalescing to demand an urgent, coordinated international action and global solidarity toward an equity-driven, focused response to curb the virus’s spread and mitigate its impact.

Loud calls for equitable vaccine distribution are being heard, a reminiscence of the Covid-19 dramatic experience. But vaccines are only one complementary tool in the box of interventions against the outbreak. Two fundamental questions we should be asking are: whether we have done enough to prevent the outbreak from becoming Pheic and Phecs, and if we are doing all we can to contain it, beyond placing our hopes on the still scarce doses of vaccine.

The Mpox outbreak underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive, equity-driven pandemic treaty, to coordinate global efforts to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. The potential impact of this treaty is substantial, promising to address critical areas such as public health infrastructure, equitable access to treatment, vaccines and other supplies, and enhanced international cooperation during health emergencies.

The spread of Mpox across multiple continents in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic confirms the persistence of significant vulnerabilities in national and global health systems, particularly in surveillance and rapid response—areas a well-crafted treaty could strengthen.

A united voice from Africa is critical to the negotiations. Without systemic changes, the world risks repeating the mistakes of Covid-19 and the ongoing Mpox outbreak in future outbreaks. Global health security depends on timely action, transparent communication, and a commitment to protecting all populations, regardless of geographic or socioeconomic status. It depends on strong health systems, based on a primary health care strategy and underpinned by the principles of universal health coverage.

There is no doubt that the world is facing an emerging threat. The scientific community is confronted with knowledge gaps in relation to Mpox. Several unknowns persist on the real pace of the evolving outbreak, its modes of and transmission dynamics, evolutionary routes and the human-to-human transmission chains. It is uncertain if we are moving toward a sustained human-to-human transmission and its potential scale and impact.

However, despite the fragility of health systems in most of its countries, Africa has decades of vast, diverse, cumulated experience in dealing with major epidemics, such as HIV/Aids, Ebola and most recently Covid-19, in addition to the decades of surveillance for polio eradication and containment of outbreaks.

In recent decades, African countries have improved their human, technical and infrastructural capacities and capabilities to detect, diagnose, and respond to outbreaks and large epidemics. Expertise and skills have been built in disease surveillance, infection prevention and control, diagnosis, epidemiological data management, including pathogen genomic sequencing.

Communities have developed systems to fight stigma and discrimination, built resilience and capacity to respond to and address their unique challenges, including poor access to information, education, communication tools, as well as to treatment and prevention interventions.

Admittedly, the response to this outbreak continues to expose significant flaws, particularly inconsistent and inadequate surveillance and monitoring systems to track the spread of the virus, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures (isolation, handwashing, use of masks and condoms, etc).

Many countries still lack the necessary infrastructure or have relaxed these measures, leading to delayed detection and widespread transmission. Moreover, a reluctance to deploy aggressive contact tracing and isolation protocols, partly due to concerns about stigmatisation, resulted in missed opportunities for early containment.

While negotiating for potential vaccine doses to protect high-risk populations, countries should invest in and deploy what they have learned and now know how to do best, based on the lessons from polio, HIV/Aids, Ebola and Covid-19. It is imperative that we contain the Mpox outbreak before it is too late. It is time to put our best foot forward. We have no reasons for helplessness and hopelessness.

On June 27, 1967, in the tranquil town of Enfield, London, a curious crowd congregated around a mysterious, curtain-draped apparatus. Once unveiled, this machine, a novel invention at the time, required users to insert a specially treated cheque followed by a unique personal identification number. In return, it dispensed £1 notes, up to a total of £10.

Marking the debut of the world’s first automated teller machine (ATM), this event revolutionised the banking industry and set the stage for a wave of self-service technologies that have since modernised sectors such as healthcare, retail, transportation, and hospitality.

The ATM is one of many examples that link the history of banking to the evolution of technology, with innovations in the financial services sector consistently serving as catalysts for broader societal transformation.

This dynamic is particularly pronounced in Africa, where the sector is playing a pivotal role in driving the continent’s digital agenda. In regions characterised by widespread mobile adoption but limited traditional banking infrastructure, innovations such as mobile money and app-based banking solutions have become essential in enabling millions to access financial services for the first time, fostering financial inclusion, boosting small and medium enterprises, and accelerating economic growth.

Such advancements are directly aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Digital Transformation Strategy, which envisions the continent achieving parity with the global community as an integrated e-economy and information society. The plan emphasises robust digital markets, characterised by enhanced financial inclusion, fair competition, and advanced consumer protection, with a focus on digital trade and financial services.

As early adopters and innovators in the digital space, financial institutions are key enablers in this regard. With 76 percent of banks ranking digital transformation as either their top priority or among their top three – and having already embraced technologies such as digital wallets and payment services, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud computing – the sector is streamlining operations and creating forward-looking products and services which can be leveraged to enhance accessibility, improve security, and foster cross-border integration.

Banks such as Absa are pioneering across African markets innovations such as instant payment rails for 10-second money transfers, buy-now-pay-later capabilities on credit cards for instalment purchases, and mobile solutions that transform Android phones into Point-of-Sale (PoS) devices for SMMEs, significantly enhancing transaction efficiency and financial accessibility.

These technologies are being adopted across various sectors to enhance operational efficiencies and expand access to essential services. In agriculture, for instance, digital services are directly connecting buyers with farmers, streamlining farmland leasing, farm management, market access, and online payments.

In healthcare blockchain technology is being used to securely manage patient records and transactions between practitioners, insurers and patients.

This widespread adoption demonstrates not only the versatility of these digital technologies but also their potential to reshape entire ecosystems. As these technologies continue to evolve, they promise to unlock even greater efficiencies and to forge new pathways for development across Africa. The challenge now lies in ensuring that these solutions are scalable, sustainable, and inclusive, allowing for equitable growth and prosperity across all sectors.

Financial institutions must take a proactive approach here.

This means actively investing in technology start-ups and innovators who are at the forefront of developing adaptable and cutting-edge digital solutions on the continent by providing capital, mentorship, and networking opportunities to catalyse their growth.

Secondly, by better facilitating digital trade, financial institutions can streamline cross-border transactions, reduce costs, and increase efficiency for businesses and consumers alike. This involves implementing and supporting platforms that allow for seamless electronic payments, digital contracts, and e-commerce across borders – all of which minimise trade barriers.

Furthermore, financial institutions must work closely with regulators to update and refine policies that address the complexities of digital transactions and cybersecurity. This collaboration will create a regulatory environment that protects consumers while promoting innovation and trust in digital services.

Simultaneously, digital literacy among consumers must be intentionally enhanced through education programmes focused on understanding digital financial services, recognising online threats, and leveraging digital tools for personal and business growth.

By championing these initiatives, Africa’s financial sector is not only contributing to the continent’s digital agenda but is also setting a global standard for how financial services can underpin the digital and economic growth of a region.

The journey ahead is promising, and with continued commitment to these strategic areas, the continent’s financial landscape will undoubtedly flourish, driving Africa towards a future where digital empowerment is a reality for all its citizens.