WHO declares mpox an international emergency; on what grounds?

By Rhoda Wilson on August 18, 2024

For the second time in two years, WHO has declared mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern. Below we look at whether WHO’s grounds for declaring an emergency are valid and what they will do next.

Our advice is do not comply and do not take the vaccine.

The World Health Organisation (“WHO”) first declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (“PHEIC”) in July 2022.

On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a PHEIC under the International Health Regulations (2005).

Two vaccines already in use for mpox are recommended by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, and approved by authorities in Nigeria and the DRC.

Last week, the Director-General triggered the process for Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines, which will accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries which have not yet issued their own national regulatory approval. Emergency Use Listing also enables partners including GAVI and UNICEF to procure vaccines for distribution.

https://expose-news.com/2024/08/18/who-declares-mpox-an-international-emergency/