Washington, D.C. (July 25, 2022) --- With more than 16,000 reported cases of monkeypox across 75 countries and territories around the globe, Project HOPE is closely monitoring the situation and is prepared to respond as needed to the domestic and global monkeypox public health emergency declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) through collaboration with local ministries of health around the globe.

Infectious diseases are often met with stigma and discrimination that affect health-seeking behavior and impede our ability to test, prevent, monitor, and care for impacted individuals and communities. While the global case count for monkeypox is rising, the disease is endemic in 10 countries in West and Central Africa. As we learned from previous Ebola outbreaks, stigma can impact survivors even after they recover and return to their communities. We remain committed to supporting the health and dignity of those communities we serve while actively countering misinformation and stigma that endanger vulnerable, marginalized groups. We will also continue to empower and protect healthcare workers, build the capacity of local health systems, coordinate with key global and local actors, and promote equitable access to testing and vaccines as we seek to play a critical role in countering the spread of monkeypox as well as future emerging infections.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make painfully clear, a lack of preparedness, rapid response, and investment in global health can result in catastrophic, preventable losses. The impacts of disease crises are devastating and long-lasting. Past outbreaks such as SARS (2002), H1N1 influenza (2009), MERS-CoV (2012), H7N9 influenza (2013), Ebola (2014), and COVID-19 have had significant human, security, and economic impacts across every level of society --- on national, regional, and global scales. These diseases take lives, threaten food security, destabilize governments, and disrupt economies. New diseases emerge every year, while globalization enables them to spread farther and faster, and it is critical that the global community works in collaboration to reduce spread and promote health equity. Project HOPE continues to maintain close engagement with key partners in supporting the Global Health Security Agenda, including USAID, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), Africa CDC, and the World Health Organization. Our global health teams are committed to building health systems that are strong, resilient, and prepared to tackle public health threats, whenever and wherever they arise.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Project HOPE launched a global response that has spanned over 100 countries. Our support has included providing lifesaving protective gear in high-risk areas, providing access to vaccines and global health care worker trainings, helping frontline health care workers protect their mental health, deploying medical volunteers to provide surge staffing, promoting health equity, and helping health systems around the world ensure continuity of health services.

About Project HOPE: With the mission to place power in the hands of local health workers to save lives around the world, Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian organization operating in more than 25 countries. Founded in 1958, we work side-by-side with local health systems to improve health and support community resilience. We work at the epicenter of today's greatest health challenges, including infectious and chronic diseases; disasters and health crises; maternal, neonatal and child health; pandemic preparedness and response; mental health for health workers; and the policies that impact how health care is delivered. For more information, visit www.ProjectHOPE.org and follow us on Twitter @ProjectHOPEorg.

Contact: Courtney Ridgway, CRidgway@ProjectHOPE.org, +1 (707) 480-6975