Monkeypox has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has joined COVID-19. It continues to be so labeled about two and a half years after the international organization was first declared.
“We have determined that the global monkeypox outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern,” said WHO Executive Director Tedros Adhanomgebreyes. Statement of July 23..
Ghebreyesus said his decision was driven by a worldwide increase in cases of monkeypox. Cases of monkeypox are currently reported in more than 75 countries and territories, with more than 16,000 infections and 5 deaths.
No consensus
A WHO emergency committee of independent experts has a month to investigate the outbreak and determine if it meets the conditions of a “public health emergency of international concern”. Previously convened by Ghebreyesus.
At that time, when 3,040 monkeypox cases were reported to WHO from 47 countries, the Commission decided that it was not a global health emergency.
However, due to the continued spread of the outbreak, the WHO chief began to reconvene the committee on 21 July.
“Thanks to the Commission for careful consideration of the evidence and issues. Again, the Commission may reach an agreement on whether the outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern. I couldn’t do it. “
Why members of the Commission agreed and opposed declaring monkeypox a global health emergency Layout in the report..
Agree and disagree
Proponents say that the multilateral outbreak meets all three criteria for defining public health emergencies of international concern, that is, it is an anomalous event and because of its spread. Consists of public health risks to other countries and “coordinated international response.”
Other arguments in support of the Urgent Declaration include that the magnitude of the outbreak may be underreported, the mode of transmission is not fully understood, and monkeypox has a “significant prevalence”. It contained concerns about what was happening.
WHO estimates that the case fatality rate of monkeypox is about 3 to 6 percent.
Opponents of the Declaration argued that the global risk assessment for monkeypox has not changed since the Commission’s previous meeting and that the severity of the disease is “perceived to be low,” and the majority of reported cases. The part has been observed in men of multiple genders, male partners, making targeted interventions easier to achieve.
“There have been a limited number of cases observed across this population, including healthcare professionals,” the WHO report said.
Other arguments of opposition expressed by members of the advisory board include a relatively limited extent of occurrence. Outbreaks are currently reported in 12 countries in Europe and the Americas, with “according to currently available data, cases are exponentially increasing, stabilizing or declining in any of these countries. Early signs have been observed. In some countries. “
“Expected future wave”
Members of the committee who opposed the declaration also seemed to want to wait for more data on the outbreak to coordinate the optimal response.
“The epidemic is maturing, anticipating future waves and creating clearer signs of the effectiveness of policies and interventions,” the WHO report said.
Opponents also declare a public health emergency of international concern about monkeypox, which “unnecessarily and artificially” increases public awareness of the risk of illness and the need for vaccines. He said there is a risk of impeding response efforts, including creating high demand. With limited supply.
In a statement justifying his decision, Ghebreyesus said: “
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and current director of Pfizer, said: Twitter statement Following WHO’s declaration that the authorities’ previous “hesitation” in making an emergency declaration when “the scope of the crisis was already clear” was an openly political gesture.
“In reality, the WHO alienates itself, which limits the practical impact of the Declaration. Nevertheless, Tedros’s good move to act with conviction,” says Gottlieb. rice field.
Some have taken a critical view of the monkeypox urgent declaration.
“Five people have died worldwide in three months. They don’t cause global health emergencies like they used to!” In the book “Tell Your Children and Pandemia,” which criticizes the reaction to COVID-19. The author, Alex Berenson, said: Twitter statement..
“Monkeypox is rarely even a problem with MSM,” he continued, with WHO using the acronym “men having sex with other men” and the disease “mostly in a wildly indiscriminate subset of the gay community.” It’s limited. “
In early July, WHO of the disease after first declaring COVID-19 as a global health emergency and a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020. Said to expand the state.
The determination of an outbreak as a global health emergency can speed up research, funding, and international response measures to contain the disease.
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Tom Ozimek has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communication, and adult education. The best writing advice he has ever heard is from Roy Peter Clark.