The African Centre for Disease Control on Tuesday declared monkey pox (mpox) a public health emergency.
This is the highest alert so far issued and is meant to ensure national health teams activate contingency measures.
Kenya has so far recorded a single confirmed case of mpox. Twelve other suspected cases have turned negative.
Surveillance teams have so far done a good job along the border points but more needs to be done especially along the transit routes.
Kenyan traders and long distance drivers have a lot of contact with the Democratic Republic of Congo where cases of the disease are on the rise.
The Health ministry must work closely with counties and set up regional testing centres.
At the moment, testing is only done at the National Public Health Laboratory, the Kenya Medical Research Institute and CDC laboratories. This slows the turnaround time for case management.
The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority equally needs to ensure vaccines for the treatment of the disease are easily and readily available. The emergency should however not provide another opportunity for 'Kemsa millionaires'.
Public awareness on preventive measures should also be scaled up to ensure Kenyans are educated on measures they need to take to contain the spread of the disease.
Let the country not be caught flat-footed, as was the case with Covid 19.
Quote of the Day: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Martin Luther King Jr
The American civil rights activist protested for black voting rights in Miami, Florida, on August 16, 1961