A plan to combat monkeypox

27 Jul A plan to combat monkeypox

Posted at 27 Jul 2022 in Current Affairs by Vivek Raj 0 Comments

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A plan to combat monkeypox

(GS Paper-II, Polity,Constitution,Governance,Social Justice and International Relations)

Source: The Hindu

What’s the problem?

Monkeypox was deemed a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization (PHEIC).

About Monkeypox:

A zoonosis is a disease that spreads from sick animals to humans, including squirrels, rats that were poached in Gambian, dormice, and several kinds of primates.
It is brought on by the monkeypox virus, a species of the Orthopoxvirus family.
The transmission and infection are thought to occur in African rodents and monkeys.
Transmission happens when contaminated things come into contact with bodily fluids, lesions on the skin or internal mucosal surfaces, or respiratory droplets.
Transmission from person to person is scarce.
Monkeypox was once considered one of the neglected tropical illnesses.
The monkeypox vaccines employed in the smallpox eradication operation also offered protection from that disease.
Typically, monkeypox is a self-limiting illness with symptoms that last between two and four weeks.
The case fatality rate has recently been between 3 and 6 percent.

PHEIC:

PHEIC is the highest degree of alert that the global health organisation can issue, and it is one step away from being classified as a “pandemic.”
Prior to monkeypox, only polio and SARS-CoV-2 were still being spread.
The WHO Director-General deemed monkeypox to be a PHEIC following a divided decision of the IHR Emergency Committee on the matter.

The decision’s influencing factors

Information supplied by nations
Serious, abrupt, unusual, or unexpected bear ramifications for public health beyond the affected State’s national boundary and may necessitate rapid international action are the three requirements for reporting a PHEIC under the International Health Regulations.
the Emergency Committee’s recommendations
Uncertainty regarding scientific theories and data
There is a health risk.

Consequences

Several national leaders will now be alert for monkeypox and on the watch for it.
The choice to designate it as a PHEIC also creates opportunities for additional sources of funding.
The WHO may issue non-binding recommendations to nations, but if those nations deviate from them, they must provide a scientific justification.

What part did WHO play in keeping monkeypox under control?

Supporting nations conduct risk assessments and launch public health initiatives
developing and promoting testing capabilities
involving and safeguarding the impacted communities
stepping up public health and surveillance efforts
In hospitals and clinics, improving clinical management and infection prevention and control
accelerating study into the utilisation of medicines, vaccines, and other techniques

What approach needs to be taken to keep the disease under control?

The COVID-19 pandemic experience has demonstrated that governments take action to prevent “panic.”
To appropriately summarise and distribute the nature of the threat, the government must start working in concert with the States.
In order to develop effective defences should the necessity arise, Indian labs and biotech corporations must intensify their research and mine their armoury.
States that have recently imported instances of monkeypox in the human population must take action to stop the virus from spreading from person to person.
It is planned to consult behavioural scientists, elected officials, members of civil society, and representatives of affected communities on strategies to prevent stigmatising those who are afflicted.
It is necessary to step up surveillance for illnesses that are comparable to monkeypox and to report weekly updates to WHO.
For the screening, triage, isolation, testing, and clinical assessment of suspected cases of patients with monkeypox, it is necessary to follow the advised clinical care pathways and protocols.