We need $87.4m to contain mpox outbreak, says WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it needs $87.4 million within the next six months to contain the mpox outbreak.

In a statement on Tuesday, the health body said the fund would be used to implement critical activities outlined in the global strategic preparedness and response plan (SPRP) released on August 26.

“More than 18,000 suspected mpox cases, with 615 deaths, have been reported in DRC alone, exceeding last year’s record total, and more than 220 confirmed cases of clade 1b have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda,” the statement reads.

“Cases of clade 1b mpox have also been reported in Sweden and Thailand, among people with a history of travel from Africa. The situation is further complicated by outbreaks of other clades in western DRC, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, and South Africa.

“The SPRP is a comprehensive framework developed by WHO to guide the global response to mpox, emphasizing surveillance, research, equitable access to medical countermeasures, and community empowerment.

“The required funds will be used across WHO headquarters, regional and country offices, to enable coordination of the response, provide technical assistance, run operations and deliver medical supplies.”

The WHO called on donors to urgently fund the “full extent” of the mpox response to prevent further spread and protect those at risk.