In Kaduna, Nigeria, all hands are on deck to fight an mpox outbreak
October 9, 2025
Kaduna’s mpox vaccination drive demonstrates the power of trust, inclusion, and community-led action in outbreak response. From retired civil servant Amos Kintaro’s cautious recovery to the enthusiasm of residents like Simon Boniface and Ibrahim Haruna, the campaign shows how accessible, free vaccines can restore confidence and health equity. Early advocacy and strong collaboration between state and federal health authorities built momentum, while community leaders helped dispel misinformation. With over 3,000 doses administered in August and a second phase underway, Kaduna’s experience stands as a model for how outreach, transparency, and compassion can overcome fear and bring diseases under control.
Kaduna State’s recent mpox vaccination campaign offers a compelling example of how community trust and inclusive public health strategies can reverse disease spread and stigma. After enduring weeks of isolation following his infection, retired civil servant Amos Kintaro found hope in the vaccine’s arrival. For residents like him and many others across Kaduna, access to free mpox vaccines not only offered protection but also restored confidence and mobility.
The campaign’s success was anchored in community participation. Leaders like 66-year-old disability advocate Ibrahim Haruna described the vaccine as more than a medical intervention—it was an act of social justice. For people with special needs, often marginalized from healthcare access, free vaccination represented visibility and equity. Similar enthusiasm spread across neighborhoods like Ungwan Rimi, where initial skepticism gave way to strong turnout once respected community figures led by example.
Between 10 and 20 August 2025, more than 3,000 people were vaccinated during the first phase, supported by doses supplied through Gavi and the U.S. government. Pharmacist Lamy Antonia Lebechukwu of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency praised the collaboration between health workers and residents, noting that those who received the first doses became advocates for others. Health educator Isah Yusha’u reaffirmed Kaduna’s commitment to expanding vaccine coverage in the next phase, emphasizing that traditional and community leaders played a key role in mobilization and trust-building.
Kaduna’s campaign shows that vaccines work best when paired with public trust and grassroots engagement. While Nigeria continues to face sporadic outbreaks—with 34 of 36 states reporting cases—Kaduna’s example underscores that success depends on accessibility, local leadership, and empathy. As more doses arrive, sustained education and inclusion will be essential to ensure mpox becomes, as Yusha’u said, “a thing of the past” in Kaduna and beyond.