The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday declared the Mpox a public health emergency.
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, said in a statement the upsurge in Mpox has continued to meet the criteria of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) set forth in the International Health Regulations (IHR).
He said the announcement followed the fourth meeting of the IHR emergency committee regarding the upsurge of the disease held on June 5.
According to him, the committee, recognising progress in the capacity to respond in certain countries, advised the WHO boss that the event continues to constitute a PHEIC.
The WHO chief stressed that the declaration was based on the continuing rise in number of cases, including a recent increase in West Africa, and likely ongoing undetected transmission in some countries beyond the African continent
Ghebreyesus said: Ongoing operational challenges in responding to the event, including concerning surveillance and diagnostics, as well as a lack of funding, make prioritising response interventions challenging and require continued international support.
The upsurge of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its spread to neighbouring countries was first determined to be PHEIC on Aug. 14, 2024.
Since then, the committee has met on three additional occasions, each time, advising that the event continues to constitute a PHEIC.
