WHO needs USD 87.4 million to contain Mpox outbreak

 

An Mpox victim 

The World Health Organisation needs USD 87.4 million over the next 6 months from September 2024 to February 2025 to contain the current outbreak of M-pox following the declaration of a global emergency on 14th August.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been a public health challenge in parts of Africa since 1970 but surged internationally in 2022, prompting WHO to declare a global health emergency.

A statement by the WHO has said that they will work with countries, partners and other stakeholders to implement critical activities outlined in the global strategic preparedness and response plan (SPRP) released on Monday.

The SPRP is a comprehensive framework developed by WHO to guide the global response to mpox, emphasizing on surveillance, research, equitable access to medical countermeasures and community empowerment.

The funds will be used across WHO headquarters, regional and country offices, to enable coordination of the response, provide technical assistance, run operations and deliver medical supplies.

WHO has called on donors to urgently fund the full extent of the Mpox response to prevent further spread and protect those most at risk.

According to WHO, the SPRP mentioned a need for USD 135 million as the estimated budget for international support to national Mpox responses, across partners and stakeholders, and this includes the USD 87.4 million.

During Monday’s launch of the strategy and response plan, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said that the Mpox outbreaks in the hard-hit countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped.

However, he said, doing so said requires a comprehensive and coordinated plan of action between international agencies and national and local partners, civil society, researchers, manufacturers and Member States.

“This SPRP provides that plan of action, based on the principles of equity, global solidarity, community empowerment, human rights, and coordination across sectors,” Dr. Tedros said

WHO headquarters and regional offices have established incident management support teams to lead preparedness, readiness and response activities, and are significantly scaling up staff in the affected countries.

Within the Africa Region, where need is greatest, the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) in collaboration with Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC), will jointly spearhead the coordination of Mpox response efforts.

WHO African Region (AFRO) and Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) have agreed on a one-plan, one-budget approach as part of the Africa Continental Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, currently under preparation.

At the national and sub-national level, health authorities will adapt strategies in response to current epidemiological trends.

Kenya is among countries in the East African region that confirmed its first case of Mpox four weeks ago after a track driver was confirmed at the Taita Taveta border point while the second case was recorded Friday last week from another truck driver travelling from Uganda at the Malaba border.

Since the outbreak, Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa said that 42 samples have been submitted to laboratories for Mpox testing, of which 40 have tested negative. In addition, 426,438 people at the various ports of entry across the country have also been screened.

According to the latest Africa CDC figures, as many as 17, 541 Mpox cases and 517 deaths have so far been reported from 13 African countries.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicenter of the current outbreak, accounts for 96 percent of all cases and 97percent of all deaths reported in 2024.

By Wangari Ndirangu