Burundi

In 2025, the Burundi Ministry of Public Health informed the Burundi Red Cross as well as other partners of the need to strengthen epidemic control activities including active detection of suspected cases in the community, their referral to health structures, tracing and monitoring of case contacts. They asked for support in order to identify suspected cases early, limit community transmission and severe cases and complications.

11 health districts distributed in the Provinces of Rumonge, Makamba and Bubaza were assigned to the Burundi Red Cross by the Ministry for  community-based surveillance activities as part of health monitoring for mpox, particularly in provinces bordering the DRC via Lake Tanganika (Rumonge and Nyanza-lac). Surveillance also focused on cholera and measles.

466 volunteers and community health workers were trained in community-based surveillance and on risk communication through home visits. Targeted symptoms were those of mpox, watery diarrhea (in cholera endemic areas), measles, and any other unusual events. For the supervision of volunteers and community health workers and to facilitate the link between the community and health facilities, 28 supervisors including 17 community health workers and 11 Red Cross communal secretaries were also trained in community-based surveillance to support volunteers and guide response actions. 11 Health officers of Red Cross communal committees, 3 members of the response teams from the provincial health offices and 4 from the district health offices were trained as trainers.

In February and March 2025, through the 59,400 home visits conducted by volunteers to share information about mpox, cholera and measles, 9,389 alerts were notified. 424 cases were confirmed to be mpox, and 2 suspected cases of measles were investigated and vaccinated.