On 17 May, 2023, on the mark of one year of mpox response in the WHO European Region, WHO/Europe launched the campaign ‘Eliminating mpox: Placing affected populations at the heart of our response’ to spur sustained action by communities, civil society organizations, health authorities and providers to control and eliminate mpox in the WHO European Region. It will run until 30 September.
The campaign will:
- highlight what affected communities, health authorities, event organizers, and health workers can all do to help control mpox and eventually stamp it out;
- provide a platform for affected communities, including underserved populations, to talk about their mpox-related experiences, needs and hopes this year; and
- shine a light on the important contribution of organizations who represent gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. These organizations have played and continue to play a crucial role in fighting mpox. Some of their work and successes to date are illustrated in a compendium – a collection of case studies – that WHO/Europe will launch as part of its mpox campaign.
The campaign is inspired by WHO/Europe’s latest mpox policy brief, ‘Considerations for the control and elimination of mpox in the WHO European Region update 25 April 2023: the need for integrated national operational plans’. Published in April 2023, the policy brief outlines the actions countries in the Region need to take to prepare for the upcoming season of mass gatherings, and to prevent the spread of mpox in the medium- to long-term.