WHO Calls for Global Action Against Mpox Outbreak

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United Nations: The head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has called for a united global effort to combat a new mpox outbreak, unveiling a response plan requiring at least $135 million over the next six months.

“Let me be clear: this new mpox outbreak can be controlled and can be stopped,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared in a speech to WHO member states in Geneva on Friday, which was later shared on social media platform X.

Tedros stressed the need for a comprehensive and coordinated international response, as cases continue to spread beyond Africa to Europe and Asia, including in countries like Pakistan.

The call for action came shortly after he declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.

“The global outbreak first emerged in 2022, with over 100,000 confirmed cases reported since then,” he explained.

“While the virus continues to circulate at low levels globally, Africa has seen an unprecedented surge and spread.”

Transmission of mpox is primarily centred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where there have been more than 16,000 suspected cases, including 575 fatalities this year alone.

The surge is attributed to two separate outbreaks of different strains, or clades, of the mpox virus in various parts of the DRC.

The rapid spread of a new strain, clade 1b, prompted Tedros to declare mpox a global public health emergency on 14 August.

“In the past month, cases of clade 1b have been reported in four countries neighbouring the DRC—Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—that had not previously reported mpox. This week, cases have also been detected in Thailand and Sweden,” he noted.

Strategic Preparedness and Response

In response to the escalating situation, the WHO and its partners have devised a plan to halt the outbreaks through coordinated global, regional, and national efforts.

“This new mpox outbreak can be controlled and stopped,” reiterated Tedros. “However, achieving this requires concerted action among international agencies, national and local partners, civil society, researchers, manufacturers, and member states.”

He underscored that the response must be grounded in equity, global solidarity, community empowerment, human rights, and multi-sector coordination.

The Global Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) focuses on comprehensive surveillance, strategic response strategies, and advancing research and equitable access to medical interventions.

“Our initial estimates suggest that the SPRP requires approximately $135 million over the next six months for the acute phase of the outbreak. This figure will likely increase as we adjust the plan in response to growing needs,” Tedros stated. A dedicated WHO funding appeal is expected to be released early next week.

The SPRP also aims to minimise zoonotic transmission and empower communities to actively participate in outbreak prevention and control.

At the global level, the plan highlights the importance of strategic leadership, evidence-based guidance, and access to medical interventions for the most vulnerable groups in affected regions.

WHO is collaborating with a diverse range of international, regional, national, and local partners to enhance coordination across key areas of preparedness, readiness, and response.

Regional offices have established Incident Management Support Teams (IMSTs) to lead these efforts, with staffing levels being increased in affected areas.

Additionally, the Regional Office for Africa, in partnership with the African Centres for Disease Control (CDC), will lead the coordination of the mpox response efforts on the continent, where the needs are most pressing.

“The agency will coordinate the global response, working closely with each of the affected countries to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives,” he concluded.

Health authorities at national and sub-national levels will tailor their strategies to the evolving epidemiological landscape.

Tedros mentioned that the WHO has already allocated approximately $1.5 million from its contingency fund for emergencies, with more funding expected to be disbursed in the coming days “until donor funding for the response becomes available.”