The Rwandan government last week announced it had set aside Rwf10 billion for a contingency plan for monkeypox even though the virus has not been reported in the country.

The rollout of the preparedness for emergency response is in keeping with the country’s tradition of stepping up vigilance in light of public health threats without waiting until a case is confirmed, or even suspected, locally.

This proactive approach has proven to be effective time and time again and there is no doubt it’ll again stand us in good stead in view of the monkeypox threat.

Cases of the virus have already been confirmed in neighbouring DR Congo and, while Rwanda enjoys an impressive record in keeping disease outbreaks at bay, including Ebola in recent years, it is important that members of the public observe public health guidelines regarding the new global outbreak.

It is imperative that all stakeholders play their part in implementing the national monkeypox plan with a view to preventing the virus from spreading to Rwanda, or to detect it early and mitigate its impact if it does.

At the individual level, there is a need for everyone to observe all health precautions and to watch out for any suspicious symptoms. Some of the symptoms include developing a rash on different parts of the body; fever; chills; respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion and cough; exhaustion; muscle aches and backache; among others.

The experience gained during the fight against Covid-19 and how the country has managed the pandemic should give us confidence that we can effectively deal with monkeypox in case of an outbreak – but we must remain vigilant nonetheless.