Doctors' body welcomes global emergency tag for monkeypox

WHO should drop monkeypox name as it is no longer spread from monkeys, OMAG said

While thanking the World Health Organization for declaring the monkeypox a Global Health Emergency of International Concern (GHEIC), the Organised Medicine Academic Guild (OMAG) feels that the WHO should describe the current outbreak in proper perspectives based on science, reality and logic.

“WHO has done the right thing finally on first count,” said OMAG secretary general Dr Ishwar Gilada.

“Now WHO should change nomenclature, drop monkeypox name as it is no longer spread from monkeys, in that sense it is a misnomer. To reduce stigma and discrimination against the patients and their families it is a must to call it something like ‘humanpox’,” said Dr Gilada.

“WHO should declare it an STI means Sexually Transmitted Infection, as currently 100% cases are transmitted sexually, barring two children that are infected with this virus. At national level, the Government of India should involve the National AIDS Control Organisation to manage its prevention, control and management,” Gilada said.

"We should stop hounding on patients to prevent disease and sexual preferences related stigma and discrimination and we should have mechanism in place for violating human rights of such patients. We should start production of the Smallpox vaccine sooner than later,” he added.