The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided Nigeria with 10,000 Jynneos vaccines to help combat the spread of Mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox.
During the official handover ceremony on Tuesday, Dr. Muyi Aina, Director General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), announced that vaccine distribution would commence immediately, with priority given to states experiencing the highest number of cases and healthcare workers on the front lines.
“These vaccines will aid in saving lives and reducing the transmission of monkeypox throughout Nigeria,” Dr. Aina stated while expressing gratitude to the U.S. government for their support.
The decision comes on the heels of the African Union’s health authority declaring a public health emergency due to the growing outbreak across the continent. The disease, which first appeared in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), has since spread to multiple countries.
According to recent reports, DR Congo has seen over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, surpassing last year’s figures.
In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 39 cases of Mpox across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with no deaths reported so far.
Speaking at the conference, Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the NCDC, emphasized the agency’s efforts to enhance surveillance across the country. This includes intensified monitoring at international airports, seaports, and land border crossings, particularly in high-risk areas such as Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory.
