A coordinated meeting of Yemeni government agencies convened on Monday to address the health risks posed by the influx of migrants to Yemen, particularly the potential for the spread of diseases and epidemics.

The meeting, chaired by Health Minister Dr. Qasim Bahibah and attended by representatives from various government agencies involved in migration issues, discussed international migration and its impact on health and national security. The attendees also examined mechanisms for joint coordination, identified challenges and gaps, and formulated recommendations and solutions.

Minister Bahibah emphasized the need to develop a national sectoral plan to address the issues arising from illegal migration, highlighting the potential health risks and the danger of disease transmission.

The meeting explored various topics, including border health, migrant crossing points, challenges and solutions, the impact of migration on health, and the roles and potential interventions of different agencies in resolving issues.

The participants recommended strengthening collaboration between various agencies and activating the role of the National Committee for Refugee and Migration Affairs.

Dr. Jamal Al-Mas, Director General of the General Administration of Port and Quarantine Health, spoke about the current situation of illegal migrants, the problems facing the country as a result, and the impact of this migration on the country's health situation.

The meeting comes days after the Public Health Agency of Sweden announced the detection of the first case outside Africa of the new monkeypox strain declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday.

On Thursday, August 15, the agency stated in a press release that a person in Stockholm "required care" and was diagnosed with monkeypox caused by clade 1. This is the first case caused by clade 1 to be diagnosed outside the African continent.

Last Thursday, Yemeni Health Minister Qasim Bahibah met with Dr. Arturo Bisiguan, the WHO Representative to Yemen, to discuss health issues, areas of coordination, and joint efforts between the ministry and the organization.

According to the official Yemeni news agency Saba, the meeting addressed the importance of health sector preparedness for various health emergencies, including the declaration of monkeypox as a global health emergency due to its spread in Africa. It also emphasized strengthening health access points, providing testing solutions for the disease in central laboratories, and enhancing surveillance, awareness, and knowledge about monkeypox.

On Wednesday, August 14, the WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, its highest level of alert.

Monkeypox has claimed the lives of 548 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of the year. The disease is now present in all of its provinces, according to Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kambaya.

The latest report indicates that the country has recorded "15,664 suspected cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year."

On August 3, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 455 deaths and 14,479 cases in 25 of the country's 26 provinces.