The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has announced that it will begin MPox vaccination on October 8, 2024.
Vaccine deployment is scheduled to take place from 3-6, October 2024, following the final regulatory procedures.
Remi Adeleke, Head of the Public Relations Unit at NPHCDA, explained that the agency will distribute the 9,980 doses of the Jynneos MPox vaccine evenly across five states, with each state receiving 1,996 doses.
The exact states are being selected based on current case trends in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The vaccination campaign aims to reach 4,750 people in these states, with each person receiving two doses, 28 days apart.
The target groups include close contacts of MPox cases, health workers, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Vaccination will take place at two fixed sites per state, including infectious diseases referral centers and special teams for targeted community vaccination.
Only individuals aged 18 and older will be vaccinated.
Additionally, the United States recently donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to Nigeria.
This vaccine, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is used to prevent both smallpox and MPox in adults at risk.
MPox is a rare viral disease transmitted from animals to humans, primarily occurring in Central and West Africa.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared it a public health emergency on August 13, 2024.
According to the 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.
