THE World Health Organization, WHO, has declared Monkey Pox as a public health emergency of international concern,
The global health body made the declaration through its director, Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, at press conference.
The WHO Director noted that the current risk of Monkeypox was moderate globally and in all regions except in the European region where he said, the risk was high.
Hear him: “There is also a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with international traffic remains low for the moment.”
According to him, the Monkeypox outbreak was concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.
He said: “That means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups.”
He charged countries to closely with communities of men who have sex with men, to design and deliver effective information and service even as he urged them to adopt measures that protect the health, human rights and dignity of affected communities.
“Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus”, he warned, calling on civil society organisations, including those with experience in working with people living with HIV, to work with the agency on fighting stigma and discrimination.
“With the tools, we have right now, we can stop transmission and bring this outbreak under control”, he said.
