Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States government has donated 10,000 doses of the Monkeypox (mpox) vaccine to Nigeria to respond to the current mpox outbreak.
Although there is no known cure for monkeypox, the smallpox vaccine has proven to be an effective measure to combat the virus. The vaccine is a two-dose primary series for use in persons who have never received a smallpox vaccine and a single booster for individuals previously vaccinated with a smallpox vaccine.
Read More: A monkeypox outbreak has affected 41 lives in Nigeria. Here’s how you can stay safe
During the vaccine handover event with U.S Ambassador Richard Mills, Muyi Aina, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), said the donation was timely and would reach the affected areas across the country and those most vulnerable to mpox infection.
At the event, which took place at the NPHCDA headquarters in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachillom, representing the minister, Muhammad Pate, expressed gratitude to the US government for the donation.
Focus areas for vaccination
Nigeria has recorded 41 confirmed and 802 suspected Mpox cases across states, but no death from Mpox has been recorded in Nigeria. The federal government prioritised five states, including Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, Lagos, and Rivers, with the highest mpox burden. Mr. Aina said the distribution plan for the vaccine doses received from the US government would prioritise high-risk individuals, including frontline health workers and residents of states with the highest number of cases.
The question of safety
Responding to a question on vaccine safety, Mills said, “The vaccine is safe. Safety tests have been conducted during clinical trials, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control reviewed the results of these trials before approving the use of the vaccines in Nigeria.”
USAID will continue to provide technical support and collaborate with the Government of Nigeria to improve prevention, preparedness, detection, response, and resilience to infectious disease outbreaks.
