Health leaders warn that global response to virus is test case for equity and preparation for future pandemics
A failure to show solidarity with African countries at the heart of the mpox outbreak will put the world at risk and harm preparations for future pandemics, health leaders have said.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared an international public health emergency in the face of rising cases that are spreading beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the virus is endemic.
More than 18,700 cases – and over 500 deaths – have been reported so far this year in Africa, already higher than for the whole of 2023. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared a continental public health emergency.
Dr Ebere Okereke, associate fellow in the global health programme at Chatham House, said: “The consequences of failing to respond robustly to these declarations could be severe, potentially leading to the increased spread of new and more dangerous variants. The risk of a failure to act now is not just a risk to Africa, but to the rest of the world.
