EBS - WHO to decide whether to declare monkeypox a public health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to convene a meeting of an Emergency Committee on Thursday next week to establish whether the monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern. PHEIC label is the highest level of warning issued by the global body, which was previously applied for the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola. While the next week’s meeting will comprise global experts, the final decision on a PHEIC label for monkeypox rests on WHO Director-General. A PHEIC classification will help speed up research efforts and funding to address a medical emergency. WHO head, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he decided to convene the meeting under the International Health Regulations due to the unusual and concerning nature of the current outbreak. According to WHO, 39 countries have reported 1,600 confirmed and 1,500 suspected cases of monkeypox alongside 72 deaths. That includes countries in Africa where the virus is usually found.

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WHO to decide whether to declare monkeypox a public health emergency