What preventive measures against mpox are being taken by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH)?

Some of the preventive measures for mpox are as follows.:

1. Enhancing monitoring at all International Points of Entry (PoEs), where all travelers arriving from countries reporting mpox are required to self-monitor their health for mpox symptoms daily, for a period of 21 days from their arrival in Malaysia.
2. Ensuring that all medical practitioners in government and private healthcare facilities promptly notify the nearest District Health Office of suspected and confirmed mpox cases to ensure that preventive and control measures can be implemented. For mpox case management, medical practitioners can refer to the “Guidelines on mpox management in Malaysia 2023” available on the MOH official website (www.moh.gov.my).
3. Ensuring that laboratories for testing and diagnostics are prepared; currently, there are 13 laboratories performing PCR tests for confirmation, including five (5) private laboratories.
4. Ensuring that establishments providing services involving skin contact with clients, such as spas, massage centers, and other high-risk activities, consistently practice personal and environmental hygiene and ensure that no workers or clients show symptoms or signs of mpox, such as rashes or blisters. If any worker or client exhibits such symptoms, they should seek health evaluation immediately.
5. Increasing mpox awareness activities and distributing educational materials to at-risk groups in collaboration with non-governmental organizations at identified locations such as spas and saunas; and
6. Conducting public health advisories on mpox across all social media and conventional media platforms, as well as community empowerment activities on preventive and self-health control measures.