By Cassandra Khan
AS monkeypox cases continue to rise all over the world, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Wednesday, said that the government of Guyana has ordered monkeypox vaccines through the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
This was disclosed in a side interview with media workers as Dr Anthony attended the 42nd Caribbean Association of Pharmacists’ opening ceremony here on Wednesday.
The Health Minister said PAHO has been compiling a list of countries which are interested in accessing the current monkeypox vaccine.
He related that the possibility of securing smallpox vaccines is also being explored. That, Dr Anthony noted, however, has been a challenge since smallpox was declared eliminated in the 1980s.
“Therefore, a lot of countries have stopped making and storing it. So, it’s challenging to be able to access that,” Minister Anthony said.
He said that they would just like to have supplies in the country, but as of now, there are no cases of monkeypox detected in Guyana.
Additionally, a team has been established comprising dermatologists, infectious disease specialists and others. The team has worked on technical protocols, how to diagnose, and how to treat monkeypox. Additionally, a response team has also been established.
“We have alerted all of our physicians. And if they believe they have a case of monkey pox, we’ll send down our response team to validate and verify,” Minister Anthony said.
The Health Minister related that if it is necessary to isolate someone infected with monkeypox, a section at the currently established infectious diseases facility at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown has been set aside for this purpose.
Just recently, member states of PAHO held a Special Session of the Directing Council to consider a Resolution to address the outbreak, including supporting equitable access to vaccines for at-risk populations in the region.
BACKGROUND
In late July, the Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak, which began in mid-May and has affected 89 countries across all six WHO regions, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Around 10,000 monkeypox infections have been reported by 24 countries of the Americas since the start of the outbreak. This accounts for 36 per cent of global cases.
“The PHEIC declaration came with detailed recommendations for both countries and territories who haven’t detected any cases as well as for those who already have imported cases or transmission in their communities,” said PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne.
“We believe that when the recommended measures are appropriately implemented, we can stop transmission of the monkeypox virus,” she said.
These recommendations which PAHO is working with Member States to implement include communication and engagement with affected communities, early detection and surveillance, treatment and isolation of patients, and contact tracing.
However, “post- or pre-exposure vaccination might need to complement the other measures,” the Director added.
During the session, Dr. Etienne noted that there is currently only one third-generation vaccine for monkeypox, which is produced by just one manufacturer.
While supplies of this vaccine are extremely limited, PAHO has engaged in early negotiations with its manufacturer.
In light of this, the Resolution adopted requests PAHO’s Director to facilitate a co-ordinated response and take steps to support Member States in obtaining access to this vaccine through the PAHO Revolving Fund.
It also requests that countries of the region of the Americas continue to recognise PAHO and its Revolving Fund as the strategic regional technical mechanism most suitable for providing equitable access to this vaccine and others.
The recommendations of PAHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, as well as those of the Emergency Committee of the International Health Regulations, convened by the World Health Organisation (WHO), stipulate that countries should prioritise vaccines for specific groups, such as close contacts of a confirmed monkeypox case, in order to maximise impact considering the limited vaccine supply.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Symptoms include fever, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle ache, and a rash that blisters and crusts. The rash tends to be concentrated on the face, palm of the hands and soles of the feet. The mouth, genitals, and eyes may also be affected.
The symptoms can be mild or severe, and generally last for several weeks during which time a person can be infectious to others. Most people recover within a few weeks without treatment.