WHO Chief Announces Multi-Million Dollar Mpox Action Plan

As an mpox outbreak spread beyond Africa to Europe and Asia, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has announced an action plan calling for $135 million over the next six months. The Global Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SRSP) focuses on implementing comprehensive surveillance and response strategies. It also calls for advancing research and equitable access to medical countermeasures. “Our initial estimates are that the SPRP requires approximately $135 million over the next six months for the acute phase of the outbreak. That amount will likely increase as we update the plan in light of growing needs,” the WHO Director-General stated. . He added that a dedicated WHO funding appeal will be released early next week. Tedros expressed confidence that mpox could be controlled and stopped. However, he explained that responding to “this complex outbreak” requires a comprehensive and coordinated international response. The WHO Chief spoke on Friday, a little over a week after he declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern. According to the WHO, Africa has seen an unprecedented mpox increase and expansion. The main transmission centre is the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). That country has recorded  16,000 suspected cases, including...