WHO declares Monkeypox a global health emergency

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has decided to declare the monkeypox outbreak as a global health emergency, said the WHO chief Tedros Ashanom Ghebreyesus. The announcement was made during a media briefing on Saturday. The decision came on the advice of an experts’ committee.

.@WHO media briefing on #monkeypox https://t.co/wrDzs3tAh1

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 23, 2022

Members of the expert committee met on Thursday and send the recommendation to the U.N. agency’s director-general. Tedros told in the media briefing that the committee failed to reach a consensus. Six members out of the total nine voted in favour of the declaration.

Notably, there is intense pressure on the WHO from scientists and public health experts to take more action on monkeypox. The United States find its first two monkeypox cases in children on Friday.

”The WHO Director-General is taking the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude to the Chairs and Members of the Committee, as well as to its Advisors, for their careful consideration of the issues regarding this outbreak, as well as for providing invaluable input for his consideration. The Committee Members did not reach a consensus regarding their advice on determination of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for this event,” said the WHO in the statement.

”The WHO Director-General recognizes the complexities and uncertainties associated with this public health event. Having considered the views of Committee Members and Advisors as well as other factors in line with the International Health Regulations, the Director-General has determined that the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” added the WHO.