WHO Unveils Global Strategy to Combat Mpox Outbreak

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The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced a global strategic preparedness and response plan to combat the spread of mpox through human-to-human transmission. The initiative, announced following the WHO Director-General’s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, aims to enhance coordination at global, regional, and national levels.

The plan, covering September 2024 to February 2025, outlines a $135 million funding requirement. The financial appeal will soon be launched, seeking contributions from WHO, Member States, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), communities, researchers, and other partners.

The strategy builds on previous WHO recommendations and focuses on strengthening surveillance, prevention, readiness, and response measures. Key areas include advancing research, ensuring equitable access to diagnostics and vaccines, reducing animal-to-human transmission, and engaging communities in outbreak control.

Vaccination efforts will target high-risk individuals, such as recent case contacts and healthcare workers, to disrupt transmission. As reported by biospectrumindia.com, on a global scale, the plan emphasizes strategic leadership, timely guidance based on evidence, and ensuring access to medical countermeasures for the most vulnerable populations in affected regions.

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