The Global Health Emergencies Command (GHEC) has been tasked for the first time by the World Health Organization and its partners. Fifty-six experts have travelled to eight African countries affected by the monkeypox outbreak to assess local preparedness and help with the response. WHO has previously declared the current monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
GHEC is a multidisciplinary network of professionals and a platform for countries and health services to collaborate to strengthen their response to urgent public health threats. It was established at the initiative of WHO in 2023 after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant shortcomings in global coordination of health emergency response services.