Mpox: Tomori laments Nigeria’s poor preparation for outbreak

Former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has warned that the country is at a critical juncture in healthcare delivery, due to its lack of preparedness for the recent monkeypox outbreak.

The virologist, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, yesterday, underscored the urgent need to improve disease surveillance, enhance laboratory support, while finalising plans to produce vaccines locally to contain outbreaks like monkeypox.

“A balanced integration of these aspects of disease control and response is crucial for national preparedness for controlling mpox and for responding to other present and future disease outbreaks,” he said.

Nigeria’s ability to effectively combat emerging infectious diseases, according to him, rests on robust surveillance systems.

“The foundation for controlling any disease, including mpox, is surveillance. Vigilance is the price of liberty from any disease outbreak. Without early detection and monitoring, we will always play catch-up, running helter-skelter like decapitated chickens after rampaging diseases.

“For the good health of our people and our national health security, that is not a position we can afford to be in,” he said.

Tomori described the ongoing upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where inadequate surveillance led to the spread of the disease to neighbouring countries, as a cautionary tale for Nigeria.

“Effective disease control requires the integration of several capabilities: rapid detection, reporting, laboratory confirmation, isolation and treatment of cases.

“Proper data management allows us to plan and implement an appropriate response, limiting the spread of cases and preventing a national, continental, or international emergency,” he said.

The key figure in the fight against infectious diseases blasted Nigeria’s lack of preparedness for a potential monkeypox outbreak, emphasising the need for Africa to take the lead in combating the disease.

He highlighted the significance declaring monkeypox by the African Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) as a continental emergency before the World Health Organisation (WHO)  declared it a global emergency, noting that the action signalled a crucial shift in Africa’s approach to responding to health crises.