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FG Set To Begin Mpox Vaccination In Nigeria
By Mario Deepromoter
Federal Government has announced that the provisional start date for Monkey Pox (Mpox) vaccinations is October 8, 2024.
The Head of the Public Relations Unit at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Remi Adeleke, confirmed this in a statement made available to journalists on Friday.
He also mentioned that the vaccine rollout is scheduled to take place from October 3 to 6, 2024.
Adeleke explained that this timeline for vaccine deployment is designed to align with the three to six-week period required for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to complete its regulatory processes, including sampling, traceability, and laboratory analysis, following the receipt of the vaccine on August 27.
The anticipated date for implementing the vaccination program remains October 8, 2024.
“Due to limited available doses (9,980) of the Jynneos MPox vaccine, the quantities will be slit evenly (1,996 doses) across the five states for implementation. Specific states for implementation are being evaluated based on the current trend of cases in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,” Adeleke added.
He stated that the overall population aimed for in the five states consists of 4,750 individuals, each of whom will be administered two doses spaced 28 days apart.
Adeleke further explained that the targeted demographic includes “close contacts of Mpox cases, healthcare professionals, and individuals with compromised immune systems.”
Regarding the vaccination strategy, the head of the PRU indicated that two locations will be designated for the vaccination process in each state.
“Fixed posts and special teams, fixed posts at sites within identified infectious diseases referral centres, and special teams to target communities where necessary for close contacts or identified risk groups vaccination.
“Two sites per state to be identified for vaccination. Only clients aged 18 and above will receive the vaccines based on the current strategy,” he said.
The service delivery team is currently assessing the number of additional doses of the Mpox vaccine that will be administered, ensuring that the country can utilize the available stock from the planned donation by the Africa CDC.
On Tuesday, the United States government gave Nigeria 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine.
Jynneos is a vaccine authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent smallpox and mpox in adults aged 18 and older who are at risk of contracting mpox.
Naijablitznews reports that Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic disease.
It is transmitted from animals to humans and occurs sporadically, mainly in remote areas of Central and West Africa, close to tropical rainforests.
The Mpox virus causes the disease, part of the Orthopoxvirus genus within the Poxviridae family.
On August 13, 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared Mpox a public health emergency of continental significance, in line with its mandate to tackle major public health threats.
According to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria has reported 48 confirmed Mpox cases out of 868 suspected cases across 35 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
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TALL Forcast: 2025 Budget will bring down inflation to 15%, dollar to N1,500-Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has said that the 2025 budget forecasts that inflation will decline from current 34.6% to 15% next year.
He said this during his presentation of the N47.9 trillion 2025 budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The President also said that the exchange rate will improve from approximately N1,700 per dollar to N1,500.
According to Tinubu, “this is an ambitious but necessary budget to secure our future.”
“The Budget projects inflation will decline from the current rate of 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent next year, while the exchange rate will improve from approximately 1,700 naira per US dollar to 1,500 naira, and a base crude oil production assumption of 2.06 million barrels per day,”Tinubu said.
He said the budget projections are based upon observations such as reduction of petroleum products importation, increased export of finished petroleum products, bumper harvest driven by enhanced security, reducing reliance on food imports, among others.
Tinubu listed highlights of the budget to include defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn, health – N2.4tn, education – N3.5tn, among others.
Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship following incessant increase in inflation and volatile exchange rate that has seen dollar exchange as high as N1,700 in recent days.
On Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 34.60% in November 2024 from 33.88% in October 2024.
The November inflation rate showed an increase of 0.72% points compared to the October 2024 inflation rate, according to NBS’s latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services.
“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 6.40% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (28.20%). This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in November 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., November 2023),” the Bureau said.
Significantly, food inflation rate in November 2024 was 39.93% on a year-on-year basis, 7.08% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (32.84%).
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Finally, PDP Flushes Out Suspended National Vice Chairman, Ali Odefa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has formally announced the expulsion of the suspended National Vice Chairman (NVC) of the party in the Southeast, Mr. Ali Odefa from the party.
Ali Odefa was suspended from the party on September 11, 2024 by the Ward Executives of the party for his engagement in various anti party activities. The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki while ruling on suit NO: FHC/AI/CS/182/2024 further affirmed the suspension on November 29, 2024.
Announcing the expulsion of Mr. Odefa at a well- attended press conference on Wednesday, the Acting Chairman of the PDP Oguduokwor, Hon. Onyedikachi Herbert Ovuta flanked by other Ward Executives stated that the expulsion of the erstwhile NVC follows the recommendation of the Party’s disciplinary committee that affirmed the allegations of anti-party activities leveled.
According to the party chairman, “The expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa follows the report, findings and recommendations of the Ward Disciplinary Committee of the party which is in line with the provisions of the party constitution.”
The party announced that Mr. Ali Odefa by the virtue of his suspension, therefore “ceases to be a member of the party.”
The party’s statement reads in part:
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oguduokowor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State hereby announce the expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairman of the PDP, South East Zone from the party which takes immediate effect.
“The expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa follows the report, findings and recommendations of the Ward Disciplinary Committee of the party which is in line with the provisions of the party constitution.
“Recall that Chief Ali Odefa was suspended from the party by the Ward leadership on 11th September 2024.
“Consequent upon the judgement of the Federal High Court Abakaliki in suit number FHC/AI/CS/182/2024 which affirmed the suspension of Chief Ali Odefa, the Disciplinary Committee of PDP Oguduokwor Ward after their sittings on the above subject matter unanimously recommended that Chief Ali Odefa the Suspended PDP National Vice Chairman South East Zone be expelled from the party.
“The Executive Committee of PDP Oguduokwor Ward on 11th December 2024 after receiving the report, findings and recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee of PDP Oguduokwor Ward unanimously approved the expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa from the party which is compliance to section 58(1) and section 59(1) of the PDP constitution.
“Henceforth Chief Ali Odefa, seizes to be a member of our party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
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