The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has announced that the Mpox vaccination campaign will officially start on October 8, 2024. This move is part of Nigeria’s efforts to combat the Mpox outbreak, which has recently been declared a public health emergency.
Remi Adeleke, the Head of the Public Relations Unit at NPHCDA, shared this update on Friday. He mentioned that vaccine deployment will occur between October 3 and 6, 2024. This timeline is designed to align with the regulatory procedures of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which include sampling, traceability, and lab analysis of the vaccines received on August 27.
“The date for vaccine deployment is from October 3 to 6, 2024, in alignment with the three to six weeks period needed for NAFDAC to complete its regulatory processes,” Adeleke explained. “This ensures that the vaccines are safe and effective before they are administered to the public.”
Due to the limited availability of the Jynneos Mpox vaccine, only 9,980 doses will initially be distributed. Each of the five selected states will receive 1,996 doses. The states for this initial distribution are still under review, with selection based on Mpox case trends and in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
“The total target population in these five states is 4,750 individuals, who will each receive two doses of the vaccine, 28 days apart,” Adeleke added. The targeted groups include close contacts of Mpox cases, health workers, and individuals with compromised immune systems.
Adeleke further detailed the vaccination strategy, which includes identifying two vaccination sites per state. These sites will be located within infectious disease referral centers, with special teams deployed to reach communities with high-risk individuals or close contacts.
The United States recently donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to Nigeria. This vaccine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for preventing smallpox and Mpox in adults aged 18 years and older who are at risk of infection.
Mpox, a rare viral disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, has been declared a public health emergency by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). According to the latest data from NCDC, Nigeria has recorded 48 confirmed Mpox cases out of 868 suspected cases across 35 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease characterized by symptoms similar to smallpox but typically milder. The disease is rare and often occurs in Central and West African countries. The recent outbreak has drawn significant attention due to its spread and impact on public health.
