Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines, becoming the first African country to obtain the jabs, which would help combat the spread of the new strain of mpox virus.
The Jynneos (MVA) vaccine - donated by the U.S government - is set to be distributed in five states in the country where the most mpox cases have been detected.
The Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) had earlier announced the development of a Continental Response Plan to guide African countries in addressing the mpox outbreak. Jean Kaseya, the Africa CDC Director-General, said the draft is expected to be submitted to relevant bodies, including the Emergency Response Consultancy Group, All Africa reported.
The Continental Response Plan will integrate the response strategies devised by the 13 countries with suspected and confirmed mpox cases, allow the public agency to assess the quality of each country's response, and assist in enhancing these strategies.
Meanwhile, mpox vaccines will arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo within days, as the region grapples with a severe outbreak that has escalated into a global health emergency. A total of 380,000 vaccines have been secured, with distribution efforts focusing on vulnerable populations.
