How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Monkeypox (Mpox) is an emerging public health concern globally as well as in Pakistan, with over 100 000 confirmed cases reported across 120 countries as of July 2024. To assess healthcare professionals' knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox and examine its association with demographic factors. Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Conducted in tertiary care public sector hospitals of Rawalpindi district, Pakistan, from October 2024 to February 2025. A total of 230 healthcare professionals of either gender, aged over 18 years, currently working in the public sector tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi district for at least 6 months were included. The mean age of the respondents was 29.13±6.55 years. The majority were women (147, 63.9%), post-graduate trainees (106, 46.1%), with 1-5 years of experience (184, 80%) and from medicine and allied disciplines (131, 57%). Most participants had an average level of knowledge regarding Mpox (137, 59.6%), with only a few demonstrating good knowledge (40, 17.4%). Half of the participants reported that their healthcare facilities lacked proper protocols for managing Mpox cases (97, 42.2%). Significant associations were observed between Mpox knowledge scores and participants' field of specialty (p=0.007); notably, respondents from basic sciences had a higher proportion of good knowledge scores. Overall, the level of knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox among healthcare professionals was average. There is an urgent need for standardised Mpox preparedness protocols, outbreak response planning and comprehensive training programmes to enhance readiness for future outbreaks.