WHO seeks more funding for mpox response in Uganda

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday it is facing a critical funding gap of 11.1 million US dollars to scale up the mpox response in Uganda where over 1,000 confirmed cases and six deaths have been registered.

Out of the 12.9 million dollars of the total budget required to support the mpox outbreak response in the east African country, only 1.8 million US dollars has been secured, said WHO in an intervention report issued in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

More funds are needed to bridge the funding gap given the high utilization rate of available funds and needs on the ground, the WHO noted, calling on all partners to "urgently support the Government of Uganda through increasing their financial contributions towards the mpox response."

In August, the WHO declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, highlighting its potential for further global transmission.

The Ugandan Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and other partners, has intensified preventive measures, including enhanced surveillance, case management, risk communication and community engagement, and public awareness campaigns to curb the spread of the virus, according to health authorities.

Mpox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral infection that can spread between people, mainly through close contact. Common symptoms of mpox include a rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands (lymph nodes).