WHO launches $135 million global plan to combat mpox outbreaks

The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global strategic preparedness and response plan on Monday to halt outbreaks of human-to-human transmission of mpox through coordinated global, regional, and national efforts.

The initiative follows the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on August 14, according to a statement from the UN agency.

The $135 million plan spans six months, ending in February 2025, and aims to provide the necessary funding for WHO, member states, partners such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), communities, and researchers.

“Strategic vaccination efforts will focus on individuals at the highest risk, including close contacts of recent cases and healthcare workers, to interrupt transmission chains,” the statement said.

At the global level, the plan emphasizes strategic leadership, timely evidence-based guidance, and access to medical countermeasures for the most at-risk groups in affected countries.

“The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped,” said Tedros.

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

The mpox variant that triggered the health emergency is believed to be more contagious and deadlier than previous strains, including the clade 2 strain responsible for the global outbreak that began in 2022.

Tedros had previously reported that more than 100,000 mpox cases have been confirmed to WHO since the global outbreak began in 2022, noting an unprecedented rise in cases across Africa.

Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is a viral disease that spreads through close contact and contaminated materials like sheets, clothing, and needles, according to WHO.