GENEVA: In a significant move aimed to have coordinated emergency health responses, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have activated the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) for the first time to aid the countries affected by mpox outbreaks.
In the light of lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, GHEC was established in 2023 as a collaborative platform that strengthens global health responses by rapidly deploying experts, supporting national health emergency teams, and enhancing technical leadership networks.
Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, says, “WHO and partners are aiding the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other affected countries with a comprehensive approach, including case detection, contact tracing, vaccination, clinical care, and community engagement.”
This response follows WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’s declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, 2024.
Eighteen African countries have reported mpox cases this year, with clade 1b spreading to additional regions, heightening concerns of further transmission.
In collaboration with the International Association of National Public Health Institutes, GHEC is assessing emergency response capacities in eight outbreak-hit countries, with special focus on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi.
Initial evaluations have identified 22 critical areas for improvement, including epidemiology, laboratory support, and infection control.
So far, WHO has deployed 56 experts to impacted areas, drawing personnel from the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) and the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC-SURGE), a diverse team trained to address regional health needs.
Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for Africa, says, “Mobilising trained professionals within the continent ensures responses are both swift and contextually aligned. The expertise and dedication of these responders are crucial to saving lives and bolstering resilient health systems.”
GOARN is also mapping the collective support extended by various partners, including the provision of experts, supplies, and funding. On October 22, technical leaders from affected regions convened with global experts to exchange best practices and synchronise efforts to control the mpox outbreak effectively.