Mpox Rapid Qualitative Assessment Report
Findings from a rapid qualitative assessment in Lusaka’s Mpox hotspots to guide RCCE strategies.
Highlights
Since late 2024, Zambia has been grappling with Mpox, a viral zoonotic disease caused by the Mpox virus. The country confirmed its first case in October 2024 in Chitambo District, Central Province. As of May 2025, the outbreak had spread to six of the country’s ten provinces—Copperbelt, Lusaka, Western, Muchinga, North-Western, and Central, resulting in a cumulative total of 75 confirmed cases, including two deaths. Lusaka Province has been the most affected, with 26 confirmed cases reported across several high-density communities including Bauleni, Kanyama, Chawama, Mandevu and Kalingalinga. In response to the outbreak, the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) activated the Incident Management System (IMS), implementing key response pillars such as Surveillance, Case Management, Points of Entry, and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE). With technical support from UNICEF, the RCCE pillar under the leadership of MOH and ZNPHI conducted a Rapid Qualitative Assessment (RQA) in January–February 2025 to explore community knowledge, perceptions, and behavioral drivers around Mpox, with the goal of informing a more tailored and effective risk communication strategy. The RQA findings highlighted generally low levels of awareness and widespread misconceptions about Mpox across communities in Lusaka District. Access the full report through the downloadable PDF link.
