Mpox virus: WHO to host emergency meeting to avoid repeat of Covid-19 failures

The World Health Organisation (WHO) was due to host an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss ways to ensure fair global access to tests, treatments, and vaccines for mpox, a leading official said, as the viral infection spreads in parts of Africa and beyond.

The meeting would be attended by members of an alliance of health experts who oversaw the global response to Covid-19 and include global health agencies such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

They will discuss how to ensure that failures during the Covid pandemic are not repeated with the mpox outbreak, said Ayoade Alakija, chair of the meeting and a WHO special envoy.

Alakija was referring to lapses in ensuring equal access to medical treatments during the pandemic.

The UN health agency declared a global health emergency for mpox this week after a huge outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo spread into nearby countries. Sweden also reported on Thursday the first case outside Africa linked to the outbreak.

“We failed on product access last time, but we have learned those lessons ... and I will make sure that equity (equal access) is the first thing we are thinking about (now),” Alakija said.

• Mpox: Europe must prepare for more cases, says health agency