Agency Report The World Health Organisation has given the green light to Gavi and UNICEF to proceed with the procurement of vaccines for the prevention of outbreaks especially Monkey-pox, pending the EUL decision. WHO, Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said this on Wednesday in a statement. “In the meantime, I have given the green light to Gavi and UNICEF to proceed with the procurement of vaccines, pending the EUL decision.
“It’s vital to stress that although vaccines are a powerful tool, they are by no means the only tool. “There are many other things that WHO, the Africa CDC and our partners are doing to stop outbreaks and save lives,” Ghebreyesus said. According to him, for years, WHO has been supporting affected countries in Africa to respond to sporadic outbreaks of mpox.
The WHO boss said that for years, the organisation had been calling for more research, and for the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for mpox. “We see now it’s attracting the attention of the international community. “As you know, two weeks ago today, I convened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations, and on its advice, declared a public health emergency of international concern over the outbreaks of mpox in Africa,” he said.
Ghebreyesus said that such was the highest level of alarm under international health law. “Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General, African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and I have spoken frequently to.