–The World Health Organization, WHO, decided to change the name of monkeypox, which from now on will be “mpox”, considering that the original name (monkeypox), which was decades old, could have a discriminatory and racist connotation.
The UN health agency said in a statement Monday that mpox will be the new name for monkeypox and indicated that both names will be used over the next year while the other name is gradually phased out.
The WHO highlighted that it was concerned about the “racist and stigmatizing language” that emerged after monkeypox spread to more than 100 countries. He noted that numerous people and countries asked him to change his name.
In August, the WHO began consulting experts on how to rename the disease, shortly after declaring the spread of the disease a global emergency.
The Biden administration applauded the WHO’s decision in a statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Javier Becerra.
“We have to do everything on our part to break down barriers to public health and reducing the stigma associated with a disease is a critical step in our efforts to eradicate mpox,” said Becerra. (VOA information).
