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WHO Unveils $135M Global Plan to Combat Mpox
The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced a global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) to mitigate the human-to-human transmission of Mpox.
This announcement was made in a statement released by WHO on Monday, detailing the extensive framework and strategies required to combat the ongoing Mpox outbreaks worldwide.
According to WHO, the plan will be implemented from September 2024 to February 2025 and will require an estimated 135 million U.S. dollars in funding. It is designed to bolster efforts at the global, regional, and national levels.
The core objectives of the plan are to strengthen surveillance mechanisms, enhance response strategies, ensure equitable access to critical tools like diagnostics and vaccines, and reduce zoonotic transmission (from animals to humans).
Additionally, the plan prioritizes empowering communities in their roles in outbreak control and prevention.
This initiative comes on the heels of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) declaration made by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on August 14.
WHO emphasized that a formal appeal for funding to support the SPRP’s implementation will be issued in the near future.
Building on recommendations made by Dr. Ghebreyesus, the SPRP focuses on a multifaceted approach, integrating comprehensive surveillance systems, proactive prevention measures, and enhanced readiness at all levels.
WHO highlighted the need for a coordinated response, particularly for those most at risk of infection, such as close contacts of confirmed Mpox cases and frontline healthcare workers. Targeted vaccination efforts will be critical to disrupting the transmission chain.
At the global level, WHO aims to provide strategic leadership through timely, evidence-based guidance.
There will be a concerted effort to ensure access to medical countermeasures, such as vaccines and treatments, for the most vulnerable populations in affected countries.
This global initiative will be executed in collaboration with a diverse network of international, regional, and national partners to enhance coordination across key areas of preparedness and response.
Key partners and stakeholders engaged in this effort include the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator Principals group, the Standing Committee on Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response, the R&D Blueprint for Epidemics, and the interim Medical Countermeasures Network (i-MCM Net).
Through these partnerships, WHO aims to strengthen preparedness, streamline response efforts, and ensure timely access to the necessary resources for managing the Mpox outbreak on a global scale.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid tribute to late Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, recalling his contributions to the creative industry and his impact on Nigeria’s cultural identity.
In his tribute, Tinubu described Jacobs as a giant of the Nigerian creative industry and said “He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.
“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity.”
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard drugs and consumer products in Nigeria.
Adeyanju also called for the removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, as well as the heads of other regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Nigerians are being exposed to dangerous products daily, from fake and substandard medicines to unsafe consumer goods, with reports of drugs being sold wholesale in the open under the hot sun. No responsible government should expose its citizens to such risks and expect mortality rates not to rise.”
Adeyanju also called out NAFDAC over what he described as failures in regulating the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products in the country.
It can be noted that various counterfeit products continue to circulate in Nigerian markets, while NAFDAC has also reported seizures and destruction of counterfeit, expired and substandard products.
Lagosians have lamented heavy traffic caused by ongoing construction work at Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Federal Government announced that repairs on the damaged expansion joints at Kara Bridge would begin on September 8, 2026. The project, initially scheduled to begin in August, was delayed to allow further traffic management planning due to concerns over its impact on motorists.
Since work began, traffic around the Kara area has become heavy, with Lagosians sharing updates on social media about spending two hours or more on the road.
Some commuters say the delays have made their 9-to-5 routines difficult, with several hours spent travelling to and from work.
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