FG begins Mpox vaccination

Nigeria has begun administering Mpox vaccine shots to health workers and immediate contacts of infected persons in seven states where cases have been reported.

The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency ( NPHCDA) disclosed this through its X handle.

“Vaccination against Monkeypox officially kicked off today! & Protecting communities and safeguarding health-one step at a time. Together, we can fight Monkeypox!” the agency wrote.

According to the NPHCDA Chief Executive Director, Muyi Aina, the vaccination is mostly targeted at health workers in facilities where cases have been diagnosed and close contacts of infected people.

He said the agency is focusing on seven states, mostly in the south of the country.

“For the Mpox vaccine, as you know, we’re targeting health workers in a few facilities where Mpox cases are diagnosed and treated. When there are suspected cases, we refer them to facilities, so the health workers there are getting vaccinated.

“But also contacts, immediate contacts of confirmed cases will be vaccinated. We’ve only had just over 100 cases in Nigeria, so it’s not that bad, but when there are people around them when it’s confirmed, they are also eligible for the vaccine,” Punch Newspaper quoted Mr Aina to have said.

The vaccination is coming two months after Nigeria received its first batch of the Mpox vaccine from the US.