Journalists visit Public Health Emergency Operations Center (COESP) and bolster the response to Mpox in Angola

Angola continues to bolster its response to the Mpox outbreak, which has so far resulted in 796 confirmed cases and two deaths since 2024, according to figures released by the health authorities. Against this backdrop, journalists from various media organizations visited the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (COESP) in Luanda as part of an initiative by the Angolan Government to strengthen risk communication and the public’s access to reliable information about the disease. The visit enabled participants to learn about how the COESP operates and its role in coordinating public health emergencies. The center collates data from epidemiological surveillance, monitors the progression of outbreaks, and supports health authorities in their decision-making. According to the WHO Representative in Angola, Dr. Indrajit Hazarika, the effectiveness of the response to an emergency depends on the ability to turn information into action quickly. In this context, COESP plays a central role in gathering and analyzing data that guides the national response to the outbreak. “The sooner we identify an outbreak and the more quickly we mobilise the necessary resources, the greater our ability to