The Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Board has announced that it will start a Mpox vaccination campaign in some Local Government Areas (LGAs) where the disease has been found.
Isah Yusha’u, a Health Educator at the board, shared this information on Wednesday during a meeting with key community members about bringing the Mpox (monkeypox) vaccine to Kaduna.
Yusha’u said the board is acting early to stop the disease from spreading and to protect the health of people living in Kaduna.
He explained that several LGAs in the state have reported many cases of Mpox.
To respond to this, he said the Federal Government, along with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and other partners, has agreed to provide vaccines to people who are at high risk.
The vaccination campaign is expected to start on August 10 or 11 and will last for 10 days in the chosen LGAs.
Another round of vaccinations will be given four weeks after the first one, according to Yusha’u.
He explained that the vaccine will be given first to people most at risk, such as lab workers handling infected samples, people with weak immune systems, and those who engage in high-risk sexual behavior.
To make the campaign successful, the board is working with traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups, and medical institutions to spread correct information and encourage people to take the vaccine.
Yusha’u asked the public to accept the vaccine, promising that it will be shared in a fair and effective way to help as many people as possible.
He said this campaign is an important step in stopping Mpox and protecting the health of the public.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that those at the meeting included health workers, religious leaders, public awareness officers, union leaders, and journalists.
Abubakar Musa, who leads Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Kaduna North LGA, also spoke at the event.
He reminded people of what was learned during COVID-19 and encouraged everyone to support the Mpox vaccination.
Musa shared how JNI helped fight misinformation during COVID-19 and supported safety measures.
He stressed that religious leaders play an important role in public health and promised that JNI will continue to support efforts to balance religious beliefs with health needs.
