The call to provide access to all those in need, made by Special Rapporteur Tlaleng Mofokeng, coincided with the arrival of vaccine shipments and the start of planned distributions by health authorities in some of the hardest-hit African nations.
Nigeria received about 10,000 doses of the MPOX vaccine last week, and the Democratic Republic of Congo – ground zero for the current outbreak of an infectious strain known as Clade 1b – received its first batch on Thursday.
“Equitable access to vaccines for all, including populations in the so-called Global South, is crucial,” he said, stressing that “Global access to MPOX vaccines for all who need them is a matter of human rights.“
He called on developed countries and businesses to do their part.
“States, particularly those in the global North, have an active role to play in providing global solidarity…Businesses should not put profits before saving lives.“
Coordination is key
Ms. Mofokeng stressed the need for coordinated action, guided by a commitment to protect and promote the fundamental right to health for all.
“Monitoring, preparedness and response activities related to MPOX should be coordinated in a way that includes all population groups“he said, especially the most vulnerable.
These include older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, people living in extreme poverty, homeless people, migrants, refugees and displaced persons, as well as people in detention, people who use drugs and LGBTIQ+ people.
The Special Rapporteur, appointed and authorized by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, is independent of the United Nations. Ms. Mofokeng is not a staff member of the United Nations and does not receive any salary for her work.
Expansion of the response
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday launched a joint response plan to support the continental spread of the virus.
The $600 million plan, which will run from September to February next year, will allocate about 55 percent of its resources to MPOX response and preparedness activities in 29 African nations, while the remainder will be devoted to operational and technical support through partners.
“This is an important milestone for coordinated action among our agencies to support countries by strengthening expertise, mobilizing resources and capacities. To quickly and effectively stop the spread of mpox“said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“By coming together we can achieve more, and our collective strength will take us further.ensuring that communities and individuals are protected from the threat of this virus,” Dr Moeti added.
Mpox Virus
Monkeypox (MPXV) is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus (commonly abbreviated as MPXV). Common symptoms include a skin rash that may last two to four weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, lack of energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
The disease can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infected person or infected animals. Treatment is supportive and aims to alleviate symptoms. Various therapies are being developed and tested that may be effective against mpox.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (the highest alert level under international health law) on 14 August, following advice from global health experts on the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee.
