The National Primary Health Care Development Agency has announced October 8 as the date to commence Mpox vaccination.
The Head of the Public Relations Unit at the NPHCDA, Remi Adeleke, disclosed this to PUNCH on Friday, stating that the vaccine deployment will begin from October 3 to 6, 2024.
Adeleke said, “The date for vaccine deployment based on the current chronogram is from October 3 to 6, 2024, time to align with the three to six weeks period from vaccine receipt on August 27 for NAFDAC to conclude the regulatory procedures of sampling, traceability and lab analysis.
“The tentative implementation date is October 8, 2024.
“Due to limited available doses (9,980) of the Jynneos MPox vaccine, the quantities will be slit evenly (1,996 doses) across the five states for implementation. Specific states for implementation are being evaluated based on the current trend of cases in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.”
According to Adeleke the total population targeted in the five states is 4,750 persons, who will receive two doses each, 28 days apart.
Adding that the target population is “Close contact of Mpox cases, health workers, and persons with low immune status.”
On the strategy to deploy, the head of the PRU said two sites per state are to be identified for vaccination.
“Fixed posts and special teams, fixed posts at sites within identified infectious diseases referral centres, and special teams to target communities where necessary for close contacts or identified risk groups vaccination.
“Two sites per state to be identified for vaccination. Only clients aged 18 and above will receive the vaccines based on the current strategy,” he said.
Recall that SUMMIT NIGERIA had On Tuesday reported that the government of the United States of America donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to Nigeria.
Jynneos is a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of smallpox and mpox in adults aged 18 years and older who are at risk of mpox infection.
