WHO Intensifies Efforts Against Polio and Mpox in Africa and Gaza

The WHO is deploying over 1 million polio vaccines to Gaza and is addressing an Mpox outbreak in several African countries. The organization is convening an emergency committee to determine if the Mpox situation represents a global health emergency. Polio vaccinations in Gaza will begin soon amid logistical challenges.

The World Health Organization is ramping up efforts to prevent disease outbreaks in Gaza and various African countries. The WHO plans to send over 1 million polio vaccines to Gaza, which will be administered in the coming weeks to combat the polio threat.

In parallel, the WHO has reported approximately 50 confirmed and numerous suspected cases of Mpox in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The organization is set to convene an emergency committee to determine whether this outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Challenges remain, as the delivery of 1.2 million doses of polio vaccines to Gaza represents a significant logistical hurdle. Meanwhile, the Mpox outbreak, characterized by varying strains, poses different risks across regions, with the Democratic Republic of Congo facing the highest threat.

(With inputs from agencies.)