Emergence of a more virulent clade of Mpox in Africa: Learning from history and charting a path forward

The resurgence of Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) in Africa, marked by a 160 % increase in cases and a 19 % rise in deaths in 2024 compared to the previous year, is driven by the emergence of a more virulent clade 1b variant. This resurgence, declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization, highlights the persistent challenges in global health equity, particularly in vaccine distribution, public health infrastructure, and surveillance. Drawing from historical lessons, including vaccine inequity during the COVID-19 pandemic and delayed responses in past outbreaks, this paper outlines critical strategies for addressing the current crisis. These strategies include strengthening vaccine equity and access, enhancing community-level surveillance, promoting research and development, implementing comprehensive public health campaigns, and addressing environmental factors that facilitate outbreaks. The paper emphasizes the need for international solidarity and support, proposing the establishment of a global accord to ensure equitable sharing of resources during health emergencies and to prevent low- and middle-income countries from being left behind.