Nigeria and other countries recently affected by the Monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak are set to benefit from a $135 million funding initiative launched by the World Health Organization (WHO). This funding is part of a comprehensive global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan aimed at halting the human-to-human transmission of Mpox through coordinated efforts at global, regional, and national levels.
In a statement released on Monday, WHO emphasized the urgency of this funding as the organization rolls out a plan to address the outbreak. This initiative follows the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus on August 14.
The plan, which spans from September 2024 to February 2025, outlines a $135 million funding requirement to support the response efforts of WHO, its member states, and partners, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), of which Nigeria is a member. The strategy focuses on several key areas: implementing robust surveillance, prevention, and response measures; advancing research and ensuring equitable access to medical countermeasures such as diagnostic tests and vaccines; minimizing animal-to-human transmission; and empowering communities to take an active role in outbreak prevention and control.
Vaccination efforts will prioritize those at highest risk, including close contacts of recent cases and healthcare workers, with the goal of interrupting transmission chains. Globally, the emphasis will be on providing strategic leadership, offering timely evidence-based guidance, and ensuring access to medical countermeasures for the most vulnerable groups in affected regions.
WHO is collaborating with a wide range of international, regional, national, and local partners to strengthen coordination across key areas of preparedness, readiness, and response. This includes working 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 Mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled and eventually stopped. Achieving this requires a comprehensive and coordinated plan of action involving international agencies, national and local partners, civil society, researchers, manufacturers, and our member states. This SPRP provides that plan, based on the principles of equity, global solidarity, community empowerment, human rights, and cross-sector coordination,” said Dr. Ghebreyesus.
In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported a total of 39 confirmed Mpox cases across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with no recorded deaths. The WHO’s strategic response plan is expected to bolster efforts to control the outbreak and prevent further spread.
