Nigeria aims to vaccinate 5 000 against mpox after ‘modest’ US donation

Nigeria became the first African country to receive a mpox vaccine donation from the US. (Tamar Dundua/Getty Images)

Nigeria is the first African country to receive mpox vaccines from the United States, which it plans to use for double-shot coverage of 5 000 people.As of 10 August, 786 cases had been reported with 39 confirmed so far this year in Nigeria.European Union countries have been urged to donate at least 20% of their mpox stockpiles.

Nigeria on Tuesday became the first African country to
receive a two-dose mpox vaccine donated by the United States, which is now due
to be administered to 5 000 people in that country.

Africa faces a serious gap in mpox vaccine access, and the
US donation will be used only for those in “close contacts of mpox cases
and frontline healthcare workers”, said the Africa division of the World
Health Organisation. The remaining doses will be held back to be used
reactively “as the need arises”.

WHO’s regional director of Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said
the timely delivery of vaccines was “a clear demonstration of
international solidarity in the face of global public health emergencies”.

The donated vaccine is the Jynneos Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA), currently only
recommended for people who work with orthopoxviruses in research, or in mpox
diagnostic laboratories. 

But Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control approved the vaccines as safe for use while the
government prepared for a rollout.

Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said:

We are pleased to receive this modest initial donation of the mpox vaccine which is safe and efficacious. We will continue to strengthen surveillance and be vigilant to prevent and control mpox.

Early case detection and diagnostics are being implemented
by health officials, and cross-border surveillance is being increased,
particularly at major points of entry across the country.

Cases in Nigeria have been documented for several years; the
peak was in 2022. As of 10 August, 786 cases had been recorded so far this
year, with 39 of them being confirmed.

There are no reported deaths as yet.

The Clade I strand of mpox has affected Burundi, Cameroon,
Central Africa Republic, Congo, Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda.

READ | Mpox strain is mutating faster than scientists can keep up

South Africa recorded cases of the clade II which affected
Europe and America last year.

France and Germany each pledged to donate 100 000 doses,
while Japan was asked by the DRC to donate at least two million. Spain is
expected to donate half a million or 20% of its stockpile. 

All European Union countries have also been
urged to donate 20% of what they hold.

The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

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