The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to stop outbreaks of human-to-human transmission of mpox through coordinated global, regional, and national efforts. This follows the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO Director-General.
The current plan is subject to inputs by Member States, who were briefed on the plan on Friday, 23 August. The plan covers the six-month period of September 2024-February 2025, envisioning a US$135 million funding need for the response by WHO, member states, partners including Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), communities, and researchers, among others.
A funding appeal for what WHO needs to deliver on the plan will be launched shortly.
The plan, which builds on the temporary recommendations and standing recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General, focuses on implementing comprehensive surveillance, prevention, readiness and response strategies; advancing research and equitable access to medical countermeasures like diagnostic tests and vaccines; minimising animal-to-human transmission; and empowering communities to actively participate in outbreak prevention and control.
Strategic vaccination efforts will focus on individuals at the highest risk, including close contacts of recent cases and healthcare workers, to interrupt transmission chains.
At the global level, the emphasis is on strategic leadership, timely evidence-based guidance, and access to medical countermeasures for the most at-risk groups in affected countries.
WHO is working with a broad range of international, regional, national and local partners and networks to enhance coordination across key areas of preparedness, readiness and response. This includes engagement with the ACT-Accelerator Principals group; the Standing Committee on Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response; the R&D Blueprint for Epidemics; and the interim Medical Counter Measures Network (i-MCM Net).
The WHO R&D Blueprint, along with Africa CDC, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will host a virtual scientific conference on 29-30 August 2024 to align mpox research with outbreak control goals.
“The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Doing so requires a comprehensive and coordinated plan of action between international agencies and national and local partners, civil society, researchers and manufacturers, and our Member States. This Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan provides that, based on the principles of equity, global solidarity, community empowerment, human rights, and coordination across sectors.”