Sierra Leone has launched a vaccination campaign to protect frontline healthcare workers, high-risk individuals, and children aged 12 and above from mpox. The country secured 61,300 doses through the World Health Organization (WHO) and its development partners.
Amanda Clemens, social mobilization coordinator for the Ministry of Health, highlighted the goal of the initiative. “We aim to safeguard healthcare workers and vulnerable groups through proactive vaccination,” she said. The first phase began in the Western Area and will gradually expand to other regions.
At the launch event, over 100 healthcare workers from 34 military hospitals—where mpox cases are diagnosed and treated—received their vaccinations and official vaccination cards.
The National Public Health Agency (NPHA) reports that Sierra Leone has recorded 125 mpox cases. These include 29 females and 96 males, with 71 active cases, 52 recoveries, and two fatalities.
Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby took the first dose to show confidence in the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. “We will maintain strong surveillance and regular testing of suspected cases. With support from our partners, we are committed to controlling the spread of mpox,” he said. He also stressed that protecting healthcare workers remains a priority.
In January, Sierra Leone declared a public health emergency to combat mpox, strengthening border surveillance after two cases were confirmed. Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, causes fever and skin lesions.
The disease was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 and remained mostly within African nations until 2022, when it spread globally. In 2024, the WHO classified it as a global health emergency due to rising infections.
Sierra Leone has faced severe health crises in the past. Between 2014 and 2016, the country was among the hardest hit by the Ebola epidemic, which claimed around 4,000 lives, including nearly seven percent of its healthcare workforce.
As the vaccination campaign continues, health officials stress the need for public awareness and collaboration with global health agencies to prevent further spread.