WHO declares Mpox a public health emergency

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that the recent global upsurge in Mpox cases still qualifies as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (IHR).

This was made known by the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, following the fourth meeting of the IHR emergency committee held on June 5 to assess the ongoing situation. According to Dr Ghebreyesus, the decision was informed by the steady increase in the number of cases, particularly in West Africa, alongside signs of undetected transmission in other regions beyond the African continent.

The WHO chief explained that while some countries have made progress in managing the outbreak, there are still major challenges. Issues like weak surveillance systems, limited diagnostic capacity, operational hurdles, and inadequate funding are hampering effective response measures.

“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,” Ghebreyesus said.

He affirmed his agreement with the emergency committee’s recommendation and has issued revised temporary guidelines for countries currently dealing with Mpox outbreaks, aimed at helping them prevent further spread and manage the disease more effectively.

The WHO disclosed that a detailed report of the meeting will be released in the third week of June. It will include the committee’s latest advice to member states and updates on global response strategies.

The Mpox upsurge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbouring countries was initially declared a PHEIC by the WHO on August 14, 2024, and the emergency committee has since reconvened on three occasions to reassess the situation, each time concluding that the threat persists.