Nigeria, along with other countries recently affected by the Mpox outbreak, will benefit from a $135 million funding initiative announced by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This funding is part of the WHO’s new global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan aimed at halting human-to-human transmission of Mpox through coordinated international, regional, and national efforts.
The plan, which was announced following the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, will span from September 2024 to February 2025.
It includes substantial financial support for response activities by the WHO, member states, partners, and organizations such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The comprehensive strategy builds on existing WHO recommendations and focuses on enhancing surveillance, prevention, readiness, and response measures.
Key components include advancing research, ensuring equitable access to diagnostics and vaccines, reducing animal-to-human transmission, and involving communities in outbreak management.
Strategic vaccination will target high-risk groups, including recent case contacts and healthcare workers, to break transmission chains.
Globally, the plan emphasizes strong leadership, evidence-based guidance, and access to medical countermeasures for the most vulnerable populations in affected regions.
The WHO is collaborating with various international, regional, and local partners to improve coordination in preparedness and response efforts, including engagement with groups like the ACT-Accelerator Principals and the R&D Blueprint for Epidemics.