• As WHO releases strategic response plan
United States of America has donated 10,000 doses of Jynneos vaccine to Nigeria, a vaccine approved by Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of smallpox and mpox in adults aged 18 years and older, who are at risk of the infection. 
The donation came as World Health Organisation (WHO) released a draft Global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) for mpox, covering the six-month period from September 2024 to February 2025.
Speaking during the official handover of the mpox vaccine to Nigeria in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, thanked the U.S. government for the donation and stated that the Federal Government was committed to improving the well-being of Nigerians.
Pate, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, 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.
“The minister emphasises that all health matters are important to him, and Nigeria is very fortunate to have such a dedicated Coordinating Minister and Dr Tunji Alausa as the Minister of State for Health. Together, we are transforming the health sector.”
He thanked the donor the 10,000 doses, and said he looked forward to to receiving more.
While releasing its response, WHO said it focused on surveillance, research, equitable access to medical counter measures, and community empowerment to respond to the mpox emergency.
According to the global health body, under the SPRP, the initial six-month operation will focus on controlling acute outbreaks of human-to-human transmission, with an estimated budget of US$135 million for international support to national Mpox responses.
Information released by WHO indicated that the current draft, subject to member state inputs, outlined the urgent actions needed at global, regional, and national levels.
According to WHO, mpox, previously known as monkey pox, is a viral illness caused by the monkey pox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.
It noted that mpox had continued to be a threat today, and that an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries had raised concern.
According to the WHO, over 120 countries had reported mpox between January 2022 and August 2024, with over 100,000 laboratory-confirmed cases reported and over 220 deaths among confirmed cases.
WHO advised that to contain spread of mpox to others, people with mpox should isolate at home following guidance from their health care provider, or in hospital if needed, for the duration of the infectious period (from onset of symptoms until lesions have healed and scabs fall off).
