Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the US government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to support its efforts in responding to the current mpox outbreak.
It is the first batch of the vaccine to Nigeria, which already has over 40 confirmed and 830 suspected cases in 13 states, but no fatalities so far.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, described the donation as a ‘critical step’ for Nigeria.
Due to limited doses, the Nigerian government will prioritize five states – Bayelsa, Edo, Cross-River and Lagos – with the highest burden of mpox cases, according to a statement by the USAID.
““We are pleased to know that this is a timely donation that will reach the affected areas across the country and those who are most vulnerable to mpox infection. We encourage the Government of Nigeria to continue to mobilize domestic resources to secure more vaccines to combat mpox,” U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills said at the handover ceremony of the vaccines to the Nigerian government.
Mpox is an infectious viral disease that occurs in humans and animals, that can be transmitted through close contact including sexual interactions.
Vaccination is an effective preventative measure for high-risk groups against mpox Individuals of 18 years of age and older are determined to be at high risk for mpox infection and highly recommended to take the vaccine.
The vaccine is a 2-dose primary series for use in persons who have never received smallpox vaccine and a single booster for individuals previously vaccinated with a smallpox vaccine.
It would be recalled that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern.
Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox killed hundreds of people during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
