Nigeria becomes first African nation to receive Mpox vaccine, as US donates 10,000 doses

Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of a vaccine to combat mpox, becoming the first African country to secure a batch amid the ongoing outbreak of the disease, formerly known as monkeypox.

Nigeria began the process to acquire the vaccines well before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency earlier this month.

The country, which had confirmed 40 cases of mpox this year but estimated the true number could exceed 700, received the vaccine doses as a donation from the United States.

Africa had been the hardest-hit region by the recent rapid spread of mpox, prompting calls for a more rapid response from international agencies to such emergencies.

Nigeria had not reported any deaths from the virus and had not recorded any cases of Clade 1b, a new variant identified in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that had spread to neighboring countries.

The DRC, located in Central Africa, reported over 18,000 suspected cases of mpox and 615 deaths this year.

Although there are no vaccines specifically for mpox, smallpox vaccines are effective against the disease and are currently being produced by two pharmaceutical companies.

Nigeria plans to prioritize health workers and at-risk communities in the 13 affected states during the vaccination campaign.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 10 million doses are needed across the continent, with the DRC being the most in need.

The emergence of Clade 1b had raised concerns among governments, scientists and international health organizations, though its exact lethality and transmissibility remained unclear.

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