The world has not yet breathed a sigh of relief from the coronavirus pandemic, with cases still being reported daily, when another viral disease, "monkeypox," has knocked on its doors, and the number of infections has begun to rise in several countries. For now, "don't panic," the World Health Organization has confirmed that monkeypox will not turn into a pandemic like the coronavirus due to the existence of a vaccine, noting that countries should be transparent in reporting any cases if they occur.
Dr. Abdul Naseer Abu Bakr, Director of Epidemics at the World Health Organization, clarified that there needs to be awareness about monkeypox and how to deal with it, confirming that a vaccine is available, effective for infected cases, and has been approved but needs further testing. He added that the organization advises vaccinating only the infected cases and their contacts. He emphasized that no country is immune to the risk of monkeypox spread, calling on all Arab countries to be prepared to monitor any infections.
In Lebanon, there are no serious suspected cases so far, although some—including doctors—consider any skin rash to be monkeypox. However, given Lebanon's painful experience with coronavirus, how should it now confront any potential spread of this disease—if it is not a pandemic—amid the severe financial and economic crisis that has heavily impacted the health sector, turning Lebanon from the hospital of the Middle East into a country that is in desperate need of medication!
In this context, Dr. Rony Al-Zaeni, Head of the Middle East branch of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy and a specialist in epidemic diseases, explains through the "Akhbar Al-Youm" agency that monkeypox will not impose a burden on the health system due to the slow manner of the disease’s transmission, which means we will not face a large wave of infections. He adds: Limited cases may be reported, but they are likely to be controlled quickly, especially since any spread will not occur as rapidly as that of the coronavirus.
However, Al-Zaeni points out that what could burden the health system is the issue of price variations and the removal of subsidies on medications, raising concerns that we may reach a point where patients cannot afford their treatment, especially concerning expensive modern medications. He notes that hospitals import medications and equipment and pay for them in dollars, which increases the financial burden on patients according to the black market exchange rate, while insurance bodies do not reimburse the same price. He concludes: The cost of treatment or hospitalization may exceed the ability of any citizen to afford treatment; the problem lies here and represents the fundamental challenge.
