In response to a 160% increase in Mpox cases this year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa CDC has declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, PHECS.
The World Health Organisation, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, announced that Nigeria will receive doses of the Mpox vaccine as a donation from the United States Government.
He emphasized that Nigeria is currently at moderate risk for an outbreak of the disease.
At a joint briefing in Abuja, NCDC Director-General Jide Idris highlighted that the current practice of using two laboratories to confirm suspected cases is no longer sufficient.
He announced that Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the African Center for Genomics will be added to enhance case confirmation.
Idris assured that the NCDC remains vigilant and has established an Emergency Operations Centre and an Incident Management System since Mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern. He also stressed the importance of state governments setting up their own emergency preparedness and response teams.
Mulombo reinforced the need for continued vigilance against Mpox and assured that Nigeria would benefit from the US vaccine donation despite the global shortage.