Holiday Ayo - The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) met with the leaders of UN agencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday (29/8) to discuss the monkey pox (monkey pox/mpox) outbreak currently sweeping the region. 

In his statement via the X social media platform, Tedros explained that discussions were focused on developing an integrated approach to dealing with this outbreak.  

“We met with the head of the UN agency in the DRC to discuss our joint response to the mpox outbreak across the country, especially in the conflict-affected eastern region," said Tedros, as reported by Anadolu Ajansi on Friday, August 30 2024. 

During the meeting, participants agreed on several important steps to overcome the outbreak, which include improving disease surveillance, increasing public awareness, vaccine distribution. 

Tedros expressed optimism about the ability to control the outbreak through coordination and joint action.  

“We agree that with joint action and effective coordination, we can control the mpox outbreak," he said. 

Not long ago, WHO classified mpox as a public health emergency of international concern, indicating a high level of urgency in handling it.  

The disease has spread to twelve countries in the African region, with more than 15,000 suspected cases having been reported.  

The Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak, as well as Burundi and other East African countries, are scheduled to receive vaccine supplies soon according to plans from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

It is hoped that the steps taken will mitigate the impact of the outbreak and help affected countries recover from this health crisis.  

WHO, together with other UN agencies, is committed to continuing to support response efforts and ensuring that all necessary resources are available to effectively combat mpox.