Words of support for Dr. Demetre Daskalakis came from Kazakhstan

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator has been greeted by the progressive part of the world. His initiative to stop calling the disease ‘monkeypox’ as this term is both racist and homophobic found support in Kazakhstan.

Rakhim Oshakbaev, a local politician and LGBT rights activist, said that the name is used by far-right and nationalistic propaganda to project a stigma on sexual minorities. It serves Kremlin propaganda and it is especially important to distance itself from the anti-LGBT agenda, Rakhim Oshakbayev added.

WH monkeypox coordinator Demetre Daskalakis: We're "signaling to people who are in the gay/ bisexual/other-men-who-have sex-w/-men communities, & also transgender people who have sex w/ men, that it’s really important to have awareness that it's circulating." pic.twitter.com/Oqb7UiJmar

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 7, 2022

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis serves as Director of the Division of HIV Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control, where he oversees HIV prevention efforts. Dr. Daskalakis worked in the CDC COVID-19 response as a lead in health equity as well as the head of the vaccine task force.

Prior to joining the CDC, Dr. Daskalakis served as New York City Department of Health’s Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control. In that role, Dr. Daskalakis oversaw many of New York City’s HIV and STD education and response programs, which helped drive HIV incidence to an historic low and also served as Incident Commander during the COVID-19 and Measles outbreaks. He has authored over 60 scholarly articles and has been widely recognized for his expertise and advocacy for the health issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ communities.