The World Health Organisation (WHO) initiated a six-month strategy on Monday aimed at halting the spread of mpox, which includes increasing personnel in countries affected and enhancing surveillance, prevention, and response tactics.
WHO anticipates that the plan, running from September to February of next year, will necessitate US$135 million in funding and is designed to enhance equitable access to vaccines, particularly in African nations most severely impacted by the outbreak, as reported by international media.
"The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be managed and halted," stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a press release. The agency is "significantly expanding staff" in affected countries, according to the statement. In mid-August, WHO declared the current mpox outbreak a global health emergency.
Last Tuesday, Congo, the most affected country, reported over 1,000 new mpox cases in the preceding week. In its most recent update on the outbreak, the African Centres for Disease Control revealed that as of Thursday, there have been more than 21,300 suspected or confirmed cases and 590 fatalities reported this year across 12 African countries.
