WHO Activates Global Health Emergency Corps to Combat Mpox Outbreak in Africa

“By deploying trained professionals from within Africa, we ensure responses are both rapid and highly relevant to local contexts,” explained Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, Regional Emergency Director for WHO’s Africa office.

In October 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO), together with its global partners and national public health agencies, launched the first deployment of the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) to provide coordinated support for countries grappling with mpox outbreaks. Created in 2023 following lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the GHEC is designed to provide rapid-response support, expert deployment, and collaborative networks to countries during health emergencies.

The current mpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 14 August 2024, as cases surged across 18 African countries and spread to at least two additional regions, sparking concern about potential global transmission. GHEC has prioritized comprehensive intervention strategies, including case detection, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, and both clinical and home-based care.

“WHO and partners are supporting governments, like that of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in creating a coordinated response framework that integrates community engagement, infection control, and logistical support,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. “The GHEC enhances the ability of responders at all levels to collaborate effectively and interrupt transmission, ultimately reducing suffering and saving lives.”

In collaboration with the International Association of National Public Health Institutes, GHEC is also assessing workforce capacities in eight severely affected countries, including the DRC and Burundi. These assessments have identified 22 critical areas requiring immediate bolstering, such as laboratory capabilities, epidemiological surveillance, infection prevention and control, and risk communication with community members.

As of mid-October, WHO has deployed 56 experts to the affected regions, including specialists from the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) and the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC-SURGE). These regional experts bring diverse skills tailored to the unique needs of each country, enhancing local responses with culturally relevant knowledge and timely action.

“By deploying trained professionals from within Africa, we ensure responses are both rapid and highly relevant to local contexts,” explained Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, Regional Emergency Director for WHO’s Africa office. “These responders’ expertise is vital to saving lives and fostering stronger, more resilient health systems.”

In addition to human resources, GOARN has been leading efforts to map and coordinate the extensive bilateral support being provided by global partners, which includes financial aid, medical supplies, technical capacity-building, and ongoing operational support.

On 22 October, GHEC convened a virtual meeting with technical leaders from affected countries, alongside those from nations experienced in previous mpox outbreaks, to discuss successful control measures, share best practices, and strategize for long-term containment of the virus.

Through this activation of the GHEC, WHO and its partners underscore a commitment to a global health emergency response that not only addresses immediate threats like mpox but also lays the groundwork for enhanced global readiness against future epidemics and pandemics.