The United Nations health agency on Monday, unveiled a comprehensive six-month initiative aimed at curbing the spread of mpox, previously known as monkeypox, by enhancing support in affected regions and reinforcing global surveillance, prevention, and response mechanisms.
This strategic plan, covering the period from September 2024 to February 2025 is estimated to require $135 million in funding.
The World Health Organization emphasized the need to bolster equitable access to vaccines, with a particular focus on African nations that have borne the brunt of the ongoing outbreak.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the organization’s commitment to controlling the situation in the most severely impacted regions.
“The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped,” he asserted in an official statement.
To address the escalating crisis, WHO is intensifying its efforts on the ground, significantly increasing its staff presence in the most affected areas.
This move comes after the agency classified the current mpox outbreak as a global health emergency in mid-August, reflecting the urgent need for a coordinated international response.
In a related development, Germany announced its contribution to the global fight against mpox, with government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit confirming the donation of 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine from the country’s military reserves to support the most affected countries.
This gesture, reported by the German news agency dpa, highlights the international solidarity in combating the disease.
Last week, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been the epicenter of the outbreak, reported over 1,000 new cases, signaling a significant surge.
The latest data from the African Centers for Disease Control, as of Thursday, revealed that more than 21,300 suspected or confirmed cases and 590 deaths had been recorded this year across 12 African nations.
Mpox, a virus related to smallpox, generally manifests with milder symptoms, including fever, chills, and body aches.
However, in more severe instances, it can lead to the development of lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genital areas.
The virus predominantly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual interactions, making public health measures and vaccination campaigns critical in mitigating its impact.
