As monkeypox spreads, faith networks mobilize to fight stigma

Faith leaders from a range of religions are teaming up with World Health Organization officials to help prevent monkeypox as outbreaks of the disease occur across the globe.

Religions for Peace secretary-general Azza Karam said “theologies of compassion” that developed in response to HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19 are shaping the plans being put in place to address the latest disease that is drawing their attention.

“There have been some very serious concerns about the fact that, like HIV, this is bringing back some of the stigma issues that people had thought they had overcome,” Karam said in an interview, given that “men having sex with men are also amongst the groups most likely to suffer it.”