By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo 

The Director of Health and Care, Nigerian Red Cross, Dr. Mannir Jega, has said that there are 108 cases of MPOX spanning 27 states in Nigeria to date. 

He spoke in an interview during the MPOX training for health workers from 15 states of the Federation, held in Kaduna on Wednesday.

He stated that a similar training was being held in 17 other states in Nigeria.

He said that Bayelsa State had the highest cases of MPOX in the country, adding that the North Central had the highest cases of MPOX in the North. 

Jega disclosed that they were developing a preparedness plan for the Northern region aimed at reducing disease transmission and safeguarding vulnerable populations in low-burden states.

He said the Nigerian Red Cross, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the NCDC, and their partners at the International Federation of Red Cross as well as the Red Crescent, has activated a robust response plan.

According to him, “MPOX is a critical public health issue affecting our nation and the world. This outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa CDC. Unfortunately, Nigeria is among the affected countries.”

“The latest figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed 108 confirmed MPOX cases out of the 1,395 suspected cases this year, spanning 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”

“While we are fortunate that no fatalities have been recorded thus far, we must act decisively to prevent further spread and mitigate its impact,” he said. 

Participants at the training were drawn from Kano, Kaduna, Borno, and Edo states, among others, who were trained with the necessary skills and knowledge on how to respond effectively to the outbreak.