Let's guard against mpox

The editorial - "Wake up to prevent another global pandemic" - highlighting the World Health Organisation's caution to the countries across the world over the likelihood of outbreak of infection mpox known as monkey pox is timely and informative to prepare ourselves adequately to meet the challenges effectively. Further, it also becomes an imperative to work out in advance keeping in mind the first wave of Covid-19 bringing out the vulnerabilities of the working class and second wave transcending all these heirarchies and engulfing the whole nation. In fact, an overwhelming high number of deaths on account of abysmal health infrastructure and absolute lack of preparedness during the COVID wave can never be forgotten or forgiven.

By far, the first human case of mpox reported in 1970 in Democratic Republic of Congo and then after a long pause of fifty years detected in 2022 is a cause of concern and WHO rightly coming forward to make the Public Health Emergency of International concern (PHEIC) call alerting the world over the resurgence of mpox in Sweden is a right step. Ostensibly, thousand deaths since 2023 in African countries and the rapid spread of this viral disease has caused an alarm; therefore, one can never overlook the debilitating surge of the viral disease. As the emotional scars of COVID made us realise the fragility of human life by teaching us to value and have gratitude and appreciation for all that we have, to be sensitive, share and care by raising the collective consciousness that each life and act matters.

- K R.Srinivasan, Secunderabad