Infectious disease experts under the auspices the Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society, NIDS, on Thursday gave a template on how Nigeria should respond to the Mpox threat in Nigeria, calling for significant financial investments in Mpox surveillance and response activities at all levels.
NIDS also raised concerns over the upsurge and expansion of both clade I and II-related Mpox outbreaks in Africa. They also emphasised the need for concurrent investments in other endemic and epidemic diseases to prevent their neglect during the Mpox public health response.
In a press statement signed by the President of the Society, Prof Dimie Ogoina, tagged: “Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society (NIDS) Statement on the Current Mpox Outbreak in Nigeria and Africa: Observations, Concerns, and Recommendations”, NIDS highlighted the urgent need for enhanced and sustainable One Health Mpox surveillance in Nigeria, targeting animal exposures, environmental risk factors, and behavioural factors.
The experts also called for intensified surveillance at points of entry to prevent the importation of new Mpox strains into the country.
NIDS supported the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)’s plan to decentralize Mpox laboratory testing to improve turnaround times and patient care, urging the federal government to improve funding for the NCDC to achieve this goal. Additionally, NIDS called on the NCDC to review the case definition of Mpox in light of emerging new presentations and to investigate the high rates of laboratory-negative test results among clinical compatible Mpox cases.
The Society urged health authorities to intensify risk communication and community engagement activities to address misconceptions and stigma surrounding Mpox. A structured awareness and communication program is needed to convey appropriate messages to various communities, including those planned for preventive Mpox vaccination, such as frontline health workers.
NIDS also called for investments in Mpox research and development in Nigeria to better understand the disease and develop cost-effective, innovative interventions, including research into repurposed drugs for Mpox treatment.
NIDS called for greater vigilance and a higher index of suspicion for Mpox to facilitate prompt diagnosis and referral of suspected cases. Health workers caring for Mpox patients should strictly adhere to infection prevention and control practices to avoid healthcare-associated infections.
They advised remaining alert about Mpox and seeking appropriate medical advice. The public should avoid spreading unverified information about Mpox and cooperate with public health authorities by promptly reporting suspected cases and abiding by public health advisories. NIDS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the public health response to Mpox in Nigeria through advocacy, research, education, and partnerships.
The society emphasized that addressing the Mpox challenge in Nigeria requires collective and proactive efforts to stop further transmission and spread of the virus. It raised further concerns over inadequate investments in Mpox surveillance and preventive interventions in most affected countries, adding that there are gaps in understanding the epidemiological characteristics of Mpox in Nigeria.
It further raised concerns on fluctuating epidemiological patterns of Mpox due to inadequate surveillance, a limited index of suspicion among health workers, and poor public awareness, potential under-reporting of Mpox cases in Nigeria, rising number of cases in children, who are more vulnerable to severe morbidity, and low public awareness about the modes of Mpox transmission etc.
