Opinion: WHO pandemic threat director: Here’s what needs to happen to combat mpox
There is a pervasive myth that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa affected by the current mpox outbreak lack capacity for the many elements that are needed for effective outbreak response.
That is not true; they have significant experience and capacities in field epidemiology, testing, sequencing, case finding and contact tracing, clinical care, infection prevention control, risk communication, community engagement, vaccination delivery, scientific research, emergency operations and more. These have been built during outbreaks of Ebola, measles, polio, and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
