MONKEYPOX AS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY: CHALLENGES FOR HEALTH GOVERNANCE AND THE NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM RESPONSE

Abstract

The emergence of Monkeypox in 2022 posed a significant challenge to global public health and was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization. In Brazil, the declaration of a National Public Health Emergency enabled the implementation of regulatory and healthcare measures aimed at surveillance, prevention, and control of the disease. This study aimed to analyze Monkeypox as a public health emergency, discussing the challenges for health governance and the organization of the health system response at the national level. A narrative review and document analysis of national and international scientific publications and regulatory instruments were conducted. The findings revealed rapid institutional mobilization and alignment with the recommendations of the Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde, although accompanied by structural challenges related to diagnostic capacity, federal coordination, risk communication, and regional inequalities. It is concluded that strengthening epidemiological surveillance, laboratory infrastructure, and intersectoral governance is essential to enhance health system resilience in the face of current and future public health emergencies.