Family Planning has endorsed a letter calling for urgent Government action to prevent the escalation of Monkeypox (MPX) cases in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The letter has been written by the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, the New Zealand Sexual Health Society, and the Gay Men's Sexual Health Research Group at the University of Auckland. 

The letter calls for urgent action to prepare for and prevent the escalation of MPX cases in Aotearoa New Zealand. These actions must include Government leadership and clear coordination of the MPX response; prioritisation of vaccine procurement and rollout planning; meaningful consultation with Takatāpui and Māori GBM; creation of sensitive, targeted messaging to GBM; training to ensure sensitivity of contact tracing services; facilitation of financial and social support for those who must self-isolate; and funding and redeployment plans for sexual health and primary health services to deliver MPX assessment and care. These actions will enable our health systems to respond early, appropriately, and safely to MPX and protect the health of our populations, while preventing MPX from becoming endemic in Aotearoa.

As with COVID-19, an effective response to MPX requires leadership, bold action, and comprehensive resourcing at a level commensurate with the threat of this novel global public health emergency. We still have a unique window of opportunity for sustained elimination of MPX in Aotearoa, but that window is closing and requires urgent action.

Read the full letter on the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa website.