The United States has debunked the news that it is spreading monkeypox through US-funded laboratories in Nigeria.

Over the weekend, there were reports that Russia had called on the World Health Organisation (WHO) to investigate US-funded laboratories in Nigeria.

The reports hinted that the laboratories were involved in the recent monkeypox outbreak in some countries.

Reacting in a statement issued on Tuesday, the US consulate said “there are no U.S.-controlled” laboratories in Nigeria and described the reports as “misleading and pure fabrication”.

The Consulate explained that the US government had continued to support Nigerian health authorities with technical assistance and funding to tackle disease outbreaks such as COVID-19 and monkeypox, among others.

“There is zero merit to any allegations regarding the use of U.S.-assisted Nigerian laboratories in the spread of monkeypox,” the statement reads.

“These falsehoods detract from the work that the United States, in close coordination with Nigerian and multilateral partners, accomplished together on public health, including in disease surveillance, diagnosis, prevention, and control.

“The collaborative work between Nigeria and the United States has provided opportunities for technical assistance in capacity building, equipment, commodities/consumables, and funding to critical public health programmes, hospitals and laboratories. 

“All of this contributes greatly to the prevention and amelioration of global disease outbreaks.”

It, however, noted that “these laboratories are Nigerian, and U.S. support enables them to provide essential services for the public good and the health of Nigeria’s citizens”.

“Especially important, our support to laboratories across the country extends to quality improvements that ensure they have appropriate levels of biosafety and biosecurity requirements in place,” the statement reads.

“We will continue to collaborate with the Nigerian government on the ongoing global monkeypox and COVID-19 outbreaks and intensify support to Nigeria in other areas on which we have proudly partnered over the years, such as HIV epidemic control, tuberculosis eradication, malaria elimination, prevention of vaccine-preventable disease, and enhancing food and nutrition.”

Twenty-one cases of Monkeypox disease have been recorded this year.

Of the number, 15 incidents were captured as of April 30, 2022, while the other six happened between that time and May 29.

Consequently, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated a national Multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre for Monkeypox (MPX-EOC) at Level 2 to strengthen and coordinate ongoing response activities in-country.