Roles of Tertiary Education in Effective Management and Curtaining the Spread of Mpox in Nigeria

This paper explores the critical role of tertiary institutions in managing and curtailing the spread of Mpox in Nigeria. As a position paper, it relies on secondary data sourced from books, seminar papers, workshop reports, articles, and other relevant literature, which were reviewed and analyzed through content analysis to focus on key themes related to Mpox management. The paper concludes that tertiary institutions have a pivotal role in the effective management and containment of Mpox in Nigeria. Specifically, it identifies several responsibilities of these institutions, including educating students about Mpox, conducting institutional and community sensitization, engaging in research on Mpox, establishing centers dedicated to the study of Mpox, and creating isolation centers. The findings highlight the importance of integrating Mpox education into the academic framework of tertiary institutions, using both traditional and innovative strategies like artificial intelligence to enhance student understanding and reduce the risk of transmission. Additionally, tertiary institutions are called upon to actively participate in community sensitization efforts and to share their research findings with the government and international bodies to support broader public health initiatives. The paper recommends that the government at all levels involve tertiary institutions in Mpox management efforts, with supervisory commissions directing these institutions to embark on extensive sensitization programs. Furthermore, the government should allocate special intervention funds to assist tertiary institutions in implementing Mpox-related programs effectively. Collaboration with vaccine manufacturers and international partners is also recommended to facilitate vaccine distribution across Nigerian states.