Nigeria receives 10,000 monkeypox vaccine doses from US gov’t

The United States government donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to Nigeria to aid in the fight against monkeypox on Tuesday.

The Jynneos vaccine, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is designed to prevent smallpox and monkeypox in adults aged 18 and older who are at risk of infection.

During the official handover ceremony in Abuja, Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, expressed gratitude to the U.S. government for the generous donation.

Represented by Permanent Secretary Daju Kachollom, Pate emphasised the Federal Government’s commitment to improving public health in Nigeria.

He said, “This is a spirit of cooperation and collaboration through the years, and this vaccine will be of great help to us.

“The Federal Ministry of Health understands the importance of having a healthy nation, so all the policies that we implement and the collaborations are focused on ensuring our citizens’ health.”

Pate also extended thanks to other development partners, including USAID, PEPFAR, WHO, UNICEF, and various UN organisations, for their continued support.

He highlighted the importance of addressing public health concerns, particularly diseases like monkeypox that pose significant risks to the population.

Monkeypox, a rare viral zoonotic disease, primarily affects remote villages in Central and West Africa near tropical rainforests.

It is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus, including smallpox and cowpox.

Following the eradication of smallpox, monkeypox has become a prominent concern within the orthopoxvirus family.

On August 13, 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared monkeypox a public health emergency of continental security.

As of last Friday, Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported 40 confirmed cases of monkeypox out of 830 suspected cases nationwide.