Explained: Monkeypox declared ‘public health emergency’ by WHO – What this means

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: Monkeypox declared ‘public health emergency’ by WHO – What this means” published in Hindustan Times on 24th July 2022.

What is the News?

The Monkeypox outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC) by the World Health Organization(WHO).

What is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC)? 

A Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC) is the WHO’s highest alert level.

It is part of the international health regulations(IHR) which have been the governing framework for global health security since 2007.

Definition: The WHO defines PHEIC as an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease and potentially requires a coordinated international response.

Implication: The definition implies that the situation is serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected and carries implications for public health beyond the affected country’s border. 

Condition: The WHO reserves the designation for only those diseases that need a coordinated international response to prevent them from potentially escalating into a pandemic.

Previous instances: The alert has previously been issued for Ebola, H1N1 Swine Flu, Poliovirus, Covid-19 and Zika Virus.

What is the significance of this declaration?

The declaration would help speed up the development of vaccines and the implementation of measures to limit the spread of the Monkey Pox.