HQ Team
August 27, 2024: The World Health Organization has appealed for $87.4 million over the next six months to stop and contain the current outbreak of mpox.
The WHO declared a global emergency on August 14 following an outbreak of the disease in the African continent, with Congo and Burundi being the worst-hit nations.
These funds will be used by the WHO to implement critical activities outlined in the global strategic preparedness and response plan (SPRP) released on 26 August 2024.
The SPRP is a comprehensive framework developed by WHO to guide the global response to mpox, emphasizing surveillance, research, equitable access to medical countermeasures, and community empowerment.
Coordination, medical supplies
The SPRP mentioned a need for $135 million and this is the estimated budget for international support to national mpox responses, across partners and stakeholders, and includes US$ 87.4 million for WHO to implement the SPRP.
The required funds will be used across WHO headquarters, and regional and country offices, to enable coordination of the response, provide technical assistance, run operations and deliver medical supplies.
The “WHO calls on donors to urgently fund the full extent of the mpox response to prevent further spread and protect those most at risk,” according to a statement.
A 30-year-old male, who stayed for two weeks in Uganda, has tested positive for mpox in the Central African nation of Gabon, the country’s health minister said on August 24.
Adrien Mougougou said six suspected cases meeting the case definition of Mpox have been notified, isolated, treated and collected.
“Of the 6 samples taken and transmitted to the National Public Health Laboratory, one sample tested positive for mpox,” he said.
Underreporting of cases
Since May 2022, the mpox outbreak has led to nearly 100,000 confirmed across 116 countries. More than 18 000 suspected mpox cases, with 575 deaths, have been reported in Democratic Republic of Congo alone, according to a WHO report.
Although global case reports are declining, underreporting likely masks the outbreak’s true scale, the report stated. Sporadic cases continue globally, including in countries that previously controlled the virus, highlighting its ongoing threat.
Mpox can infect anyone, regardless of geographic location, gender identity or sexual orientation.
Of particular concern is the risk to vulnerable groups, including people with immune suppression, such as those with poorly controlled HIV, young children and pregnant individuals. For these groups, mpox infection can result in severe health outcomes, according to the report.
