FG Sets New Dates For Nationwide Mpox Vaccination Campaign

FG Sets New Dates For Nationwide Mpox Vaccination Campaign....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Federal Government has announced that the provisional start date for Mpox (Monkeypox) vaccinations is set for October 8, 2024. According to Naija News, this was confirmed by Remi Adeleke, Head of the Public Relations Unit at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), in a statement released to journalists on Friday……CONTINUE READING 

Adeleke also mentioned that the vaccine rollout is planned to occur between October 3 and 6, 2024. He explained that this timeline aligns with the three to six-week period required by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to complete its regulatory procedures, including sampling, traceability, and laboratory analysis, following the vaccine’s arrival on August 27.

The target date for the vaccination program remains October 8, 2024. Due to the limited availability of the Jynneos Mpox vaccine (9,980 doses), the doses will be distributed evenly across five states, with each state receiving 1,996 doses. The specific states are being selected based on the current case trends in coordination with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The vaccination effort will focus on a population of 4,750 individuals across the five states, each of whom will receive two doses of the vaccine spaced 28 days apart. The target groups include close contacts of Mpox cases, healthcare professionals, and individuals with compromised immune systems.

Adeleke outlined that the vaccination strategy will involve two designated locations in each state. These will include fixed posts at infectious diseases referral centers and special teams targeting communities where necessary, focusing on close contacts or identified high-risk groups.

He also noted that only individuals aged 18 and above would be eligible to receive the vaccine based on the current strategy. The service delivery team is evaluating the number of additional doses that will be needed to ensure the country can effectively utilize the stock from an upcoming donation by the Africa CDC.

On Tuesday, the United States government donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to Nigeria. Jynneos is an FDA-authorized vaccine for the prevention of smallpox and Mpox in adults aged 18 and older who are at risk of contracting Mpox.

Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic disease transmitted from animals to humans, occurring sporadically, mainly in remote areas of Central and West Africa near tropical rainforests. The Mpox virus, part of the Orthopoxvirus genus within the Poxviridae family, causes the disease.

On August 13, 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared Mpox a public health emergency of continental significance, in line with its mandate to address major public health threats. According to data from the NCDC, Nigeria has reported 48 confirmed Mpox cases out of 868 suspected cases across 35 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

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