File The Ministry of Health has activated an emergency response plan and heightened surveillance in reaction to the World Health Organization's (WHO) recent declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This decision is aimed at safeguarding the country from a potential outbreak. It comes after a significant rise in Mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other African nations. ''On August 14, 2024, the WHO Director-General identified the significant upsurge of Mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and an increasing number of countries across Africa as constituting a PHEIC under the International Health Regulations (2005). "The WHO has expressed concern about the potential for the disease to spread further across African nations and possibly beyond the continent,'' parts of a press release issued by the Ministry of Health read. The Ministry's statement noted that as part of the emergency response, all health agencies and stakeholders have been instructed to increase vigilance at Points of Entry, including airports and border crossings. Additionally, the Ghana Health Service has issued comprehensive guidelines on identifying Mpox symptoms and the steps necessary for early detection, reporting, and treatment.