Nigeria is set to commence mpox vaccinations on October 8, following the completion of regulatory approvals, according to a spokesperson for the country’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
The announcement comes after Nigeria received its first batch of 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Tuesday. To date, Nigeria has confirmed 40 mpox cases with no reported fatalities.
Remi Adeleke, a spokesperson for the development agency, told The Punch newspaper, “Due to limited available doses (9,980) of the Jynneos MPox vaccine, the quantities will be split evenly (1,996 doses) across the five states for implementation.”
Adeleke explained that the vaccines would undergo regulatory lab analysis for three weeks before distribution. The vaccination program aims to reach 4,750 individuals, each receiving two doses 28 days apart.
The target population for the vaccinations includes those in close contact with mpox cases, health workers, and persons with compromised immune systems.
