Nigeria is first African country to receive mpox vaccines

Nigeria has become the first African nation to receive mpox vaccines, a crucial step in combating the spread of the virus.

The country received 10,000 doses of the Jynneos (MVA) vaccine, donated by the United States government on Tuesday.

“We are pleased to receive this modest initial donation of the mpox vaccine which is safe and efficacious,” Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate said. “We will continue to strengthen surveillance and be vigilant to prevent and control mpox.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in August. In response, the WHO has been working to facilitate access to vaccines globally.

The donated vaccines will be distributed to five states in Nigeria that have reported the highest number of mpox cases. The Nigerian government has prioritized Bayelsa, Edo, Cross-River, Lagos, and Rivers with the highest burden of mpox cases.

The MVA vaccine will be given to 5,000 people most at risk of the virus in a two-dose schedule. This includes “close contacts of mpox cases and frontline healthcare workers, with a provision for reactive vaccination in other states as the need arises,” according to WHO’s regional office for Africa.

Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) has approved the emergency use of the mpox vaccine.

The WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, emphasized the importance of this donation in halting the virus and demonstrating international solidarity.

“The delivery of the mpox vaccines to Nigeria not only constitutes a crucial addition to the ongoing measures to halt the virus and protect health [but] it’s also a clear demonstration of international solidarity in the face of global public health emergencies,” said Dr. Moeti.

Gaps in Vaccine Access

WHO’s Africa office says “serious gaps in mpox vaccine access” remain in Africa.

The organization is working with countries and manufacturers to increase access to the needed vaccines.

WHO is collaborating with partners including the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and others to “enable donations from countries with existing stockpiles.”

The partners are also developing a “donation scheme” to ensure the limited vaccines are used in areas where it is most needed. The UN body had warned last week on the rising cases of mpox among children.

WHO’s Africa office is assisting the Nigerian Government to improve “surveillance and contact tracing, laboratory capacity, risk communication, and community engagement” as the country has had 786 suspected mpox cases and 39 confirmed cases as of 10 August 2024.

Health officials are also implementing early case detection and diagnostics, as well as increasing cross-border surveillance, notably at main points of entry throughout the country.

Learn More

Mpox is an infectious viral disease that occurs in humans and animals. It can be transmitted through close contact including sexual interactions. The prevention of mpox is through vaccination. Individuals of 18 years of age and older are determined to be at high risk for mpox infection and highly recommended to take the vaccine.

The vaccine is a two-dose primary series for use in persons who have never received smallpox vaccine and a single booster for individuals previously vaccinated with a smallpox vaccine.

U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, who spoke at the event to hand over the vaccines to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said “We are pleased to know that this is a timely donation that will reach the affected areas across the country and those who are most vulnerable to mpox infection.” He continued, “We encourage the Government of Nigeria to continue to mobilize domestic resources to secure more vaccines to combat mpox.”

Asked about the safety of the vaccine, Mr Mills said, “Yes, the vaccine is safe. Safety tests have been conducted during clinical trials, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control reviewed the results of these trials before granting approval for the use of the vaccines in Nigeria.”