PHILIPPINE medical experts participated in a global meeting organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat the spread of monkeypox (mpox), the Department of Health (DoH) said.
Discussed during the meeting were strategic preparedness and response plans with a strong emphasis on collaboration among nations, it added.
Among the key points were surveillance and early detection, as well as the empowerment of health care workers and community volunteers against the disease.
Department of Health. TMT FILE PHOTO
The experts deliberated on the global strategy for phased vaccination for mpox, with the priority given to African nations experiencing outbreaks, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where transmission was highest.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a radio interview that the 2,000 doses of mpox vaccines the DoH ordered from WHO were still being processed.
The WHO said it would employ a “phased approach,” with priority given to high-risk individuals based on local epidemiology. The last stage, it added, was for population groups recommended by its experts “when and as doses become available.”
“We know much about mpox and its skin-to-skin transmission. Stop it from spreading by washing hands with soap and water or using alcohol sanitizers. Clean surfaces too, and keep skin covered,” Herbosa said.
The DoH said it had activated the Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Strategic Advisory Group of Experts to address the threat of mpox.
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