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One hundred and eight (108) cases of Mpox has been reported in Nigeria from twenty seven (27) states of the Federation.
This was disclosed by the Director of Health and Care at the Nigerian Red Cross, Dr. Mannir Jega.
Dr Mannir Jega disclosed this while speaking at a training program for health workers drawn from 15 states of the Federation in Kaduna emphasized that the situation demands urgent attention.
According to him, “Mpox is a critical public health issue affecting our Nation and the World.
He warned that, “The Mpox outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa CDC,”.
While revealing that Bayelsa State has the highest number of Mpox cases, he also disclosed that the North Central region has the highest cases within Northern Nigeria.
Dr Jega who hinted that the Nigerian Red Cross, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, NCDC, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, has activated a robust response plan to combat the outbreak, said the training program was aimed at equipping health workers with necessary skills and knowledge to respond effectively to the outbreak.
He said a similar training had already been conducted in 17 states, while noting that the current training program included participants from Kano, Kaduna, Borno, Edo, and other states.
In his words, “We trained them with the necessary skills and knowledge on how to respond effectively to the outbreak,”
Dr Jega also revealed that a preparedness plan is being developed for the Northern region, aimed at reducing disease transmission and protecting vulnerable populations in low-burden states.
According to him, “The latest figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reveal 108 confirmed Mpox cases out of 1,395 suspected cases this year, spanning 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”
He revealed that Nigeria is fortunate that no fatalities have been recorded thus far, but advised that “We must act decisively to prevent further spread and mitigate its impact,”
