The Ministry of Health (MoH) has activated its emergency response plan in reaction to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recent classification of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Mpox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral infection which can spread between people, mainly through close contact, and occasionally from the environment to people via things and surfaces that have been touched by a person with mpox.
The ministry, in a press release dated August 16, 2024, noted that it has issued a directive to all implementing agencies and stakeholders to heighten surveillance systems at all levels.
This directive includes enhanced monitoring at Points of Entry (such as airports and border crossings) and increased vigilance within communities nationwide.
Also, the Ghana Health Service, on the directive of the ministry, has released a detailed technical advice on the symptoms of Mpox and the necessary steps for early detection, reporting, and treatment.
Ghana recorded 120 cases of Mpox in 2022 and 8 cases in 2023, with no cases reported in 2024 thus far. Despite this, the country remains vigilant to prevent any potential resurgence.
Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has voiced growing concerns about the spread of Mpox, driven by significant outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other African nations a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
This decision follows the recommendation of an IHR Emergency Committee, which reviewed data from WHO and affected nations.
The Committee highlighted the potential for Mpox to spread further across Africa and beyond.
Previously, Mpox was designated a PHEIC in July 2022 due to its rapid spread via sexual contact in various countries. This status was lifted in May 2023 after a global decline in cases.
However, Mpox has persisted in the DRC for over a decade, with cases surging significantly last year and surpassing previous totals this year.
A new strain, clade 1b, has emerged in the DRC, spreading mainly through sexual networks and detected in neighboring countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, where it had not been previously reported.
The true number of cases is likely higher due to underreporting and insufficient testing.
WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization endorses two vaccines for Mpox, which are also approved by national regulatory authorities in affected countries, including Nigeria and the DRC.
