Nigeria Receives 10,000 Doses of Mpox Vaccine from U.S. Government
Nigeria has become the first African country to receive vaccines targeting the new strain of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. The 10,000 doses of the Jynneos (MVA) vaccine, donated by the United States government, were delivered on Tuesday.
The donation comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024.
The vaccines will be distributed to five Nigerian states with the highest number of mpox cases.
The initial allocation will focus on 5,000 individuals at greatest risk, including close contacts of confirmed cases and frontline healthcare workers.
The MVA vaccine will be administered in a two-dose schedule, with provisions for additional reactive vaccination if necessary.
Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has granted emergency use authorization for the vaccine.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, praised the vaccine delivery as a vital step in controlling the virus and a demonstration of global solidarity in addressing public health emergencies.
WHO’s Africa office is also working to address serious gaps in vaccine access across the continent by collaborating with countries, manufacturers, and partners like UNICEF to increase vaccine availability.
In addition to the vaccine distribution, WHO is assisting Nigeria in enhancing its surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory capacity, risk communication, and community engagement. As of August 10, 2024, Nigeria has reported 786 suspected cases and 39 confirmed cases of mpox.
Efforts are also being made to improve early case detection, diagnostics, and cross-border surveillance, particularly at major entry points to the country.
The introduction of the mpox vaccine marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against the virus.
In March 2024, Nigeria was the first country to receive the new MenFive vaccine from the Gavi-funded global stockpile.
Nigeria requested the deployment of 1,043,377 doses of MenFive, and the World Health Organization’s International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision authorized it.
In July 2023, PATH and the Serum Institute of India collaborated for 13 years to create the MenFive vaccine, which was prequalified by the WHO.
