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FG to Start Vaccination Against Mpox on October 8

• By Rich Health News Desk
• September 02, 2024

October 8, 2024 is the proposed start date for mpox vaccinations, according to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). 

 

Additionally, the vaccine deployment will start on October 3 and last until October 6, 2024, according to Remi Adeleke, Head of the Public Relations Unit at the NPHCDA.

 

Adeleke said, “The date for vaccine deployment based on the current chronogram is from October 3 to 6, 2024, time to align with the three to six weeks period from vaccine receipt on August 27 for NAFDAC to conclude the regulatory procedures of sampling, traceability and lab analysis. 

 

“The tentative implementation date is October 8, 2024."

 

“Due to limited available doses (9,980) of the Jynneos MPox vaccine, the quantities will be slit evenly (1,996 doses) across the five states for implementation. Specific states for implementation are being evaluated based on the current trend of cases in collaboration with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention.” 

 

According to Adeleke, 4,750 people in total are targeted across the five states; they will receive two doses each, spaced 28 days apart. 

 

He explained that the intended targets consist of “close contact of Mpox cases, health workers, and persons with low immune status.”

 

The PRU chief described the deployment approach as identifying two vaccination sites per state.

 

“Fixed posts and special teams, fixed posts at sites within identified infectious diseases referral centers, and special teams to target communities where necessary for close contacts or identified risk groups vaccination."

 

“Two sites per state to be identified for vaccination. Only clients aged 18 and above will receive the vaccines based on the current strategy,” he said.

 

He continued by saying that the service delivery team is still deciding how many more doses of the Mpox vaccine to be given so that the nation can take advantage of the stock that the Africa CDC had intended to donate. 

 

Ten thousand doses of the Jynneos vaccine were supplied to Nigeria by the US government. 

 

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the Jynneos vaccine to protect people 18 years of age and older who are susceptible to mpox infection against smallpox and mpox. 

 

Mpox is an uncommon viral zoonotic infectious illness, meaning it spreads from animals to people. It mostly affects isolated communities in Central and West Africa that are close to tropical rainforests. The Mpox virus, which is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family, is the cause of it.

 

In accordance with its responsibility to address serious public health hazards, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mumps a public health emergency of continental security on August 13, 2024. 

 

Out of 868 suspected cases spread throughout 35 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria had reported 48 confirmed cases of mpox, according to data received from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention.