WHO Unveils Plan to Contain Mpox Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) has unveiled a global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) to address human-to-human transmission of Mpox.

The plan, running from September 2024 to February 2025, requires $135 million in funding. It aims to improve global, regional, and national coordination, enhance surveillance and response, ensure equitable access to diagnostics and vaccines, reduce animal-to-human transmission, and empower communities to manage outbreaks.

This initiative follows the public health emergency declaration made by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on August 14. The WHO will soon launch a funding appeal to support this plan.

The SPRP builds on previous recommendations and focuses on comprehensive surveillance, prevention, and preparedness. It includes strategic vaccination efforts targeting high-risk individuals, such as recent case contacts and healthcare workers, to break transmission chains.

The WHO emphasizes strategic leadership, evidence-based guidance, and access to medical countermeasures for the most vulnerable groups in affected regions. It is collaborating with a wide range of international, regional, national, and local partners to enhance coordination in preparedness and response.