The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is expanding health security operations across Africa, responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and supporting mpox preparedness in six countries through border screening and surveillance.
IOM is supporting operations at 90 points of entry and cross-border areas in 15 countries, focusing on population mobility data, capacity strengthening for border officials, cross-border coordination, surveillance, and risk communication. The efforts target mobile communities, people along high-risk transit corridors, and those in hard-to-reach areas.
Following the Ebola outbreak in DRC’s Kasai Province on September 4, 2025, IOM deployed teams to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) and local partners. As of October 16, 2025, the country had reported 64 cases and 45 deaths. Screening points are operational along major transport routes, with over 169,000 screenings conducted.
“Our top priority is to make fully operational all identified points of entry and strengthen local workforce capacity,” stated Frantz Celestin, Regional Director for East, Horn and Southern Africa.
Border communities face heightened risk due to high mobility and limited access to health services. Contact tracing and community engagement at priority points of entry are underway to reduce transmission risk. IOM is supporting the deployment and training of MOH staff, while in Angola, the organization and partners are developing joint contingency plans to strengthen preparedness along the shared border.
In Uganda, IOM teams are reviewing their support during the Sudan Virus Disease (a strain of the Ebola virus) outbreak earlier this year to strengthen future preparedness. The operation also revealed other infectious disease threats including cholera, mpox, and measles.
IOM is supporting national mpox responses in several countries. In Uganda and Ethiopia, health authorities are using IOM mobility data for public health planning and outbreak preparedness. In Malawi and South Sudan, IOM is enhancing surveillance, contact tracing, and access to vaccination at key border points.
The organization’s health security work promotes regional collaboration, knowledge sharing, cross-border partnerships, and joint surveillance. Although mpox is no longer a public health emergency of international concern and Ebola cases continue to decline, the risk persists. IOM will continue working with governments and partners to strengthen readiness at borders and migration routes.
