R-Evolution WorldWide had the pleasure of being invited to the 4th and last meeting of the community of practice (CoP) for social and behavioural evidence for mpox community protection, which was held on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.

The final meeting brought together researchers, health officials, and partners from across Africa to reflect on progress made in integrating social and behavioral science into epidemic response.

Highlights included:
• Kinshasa (DRC): Action research showed how recovered Mpox patients can act as trusted community ambassadors, strengthening engagement and reducing stigma.
• Kisangani (DRC): Community validation workshops produced actionable recommendations to improve communication and formally recognize community health volunteers.
• Liberia: The country’s first rapid qualitative assessment identified behavioral drivers of transmission and emphasized inclusion of marginalized groups

Partners agreed to continue collaboration via the WHO HIVE platform and to share research at the Mpox Research Symposium in Kinshasa (3–5 December 2025) which will consolidate research findings across clinical, epidemiological, and community-based studies.
Closing the meeting, the vital role of social and behavioral evidence in shaping locally driven, evidence-based health responses was emphasized.

This meeting confirmed the shared commitment of the MPOX-PROBE project to conduct surveys in the communities to collect relevant behavioural and knowledge information as a foundation for effective, evidence-driven, and community-centered health emergency responses.