Sierra Leone on Wednesday launched a preventive mpox vaccination campaign, targeting frontline health workers, high-risk individuals, and children aged 12 and above, as the country battles a rising number of infections.
The initiative follows the arrival of 61,300 vaccine doses secured through the World Health Organisation (WHO) and development partners, marking a significant step in curbing the spread of the disease.
Social mobilisation coordinator for the health ministry, Amanda Clemens, confirmed that the rollout is starting in the Western Area before expanding to other regions.
“We are currently rolling out mpox vaccines to frontline health care workers and high-risk individuals,” Clemens told AFP.
“As time goes by, we will continue to expand the teams that we have, and vaccination will reach other communities,” she added.
At the official launch, more than 100 healthcare workers at the 34 Military Hospital, where mpox cases are tested and treated, received vaccine doses and vaccination cards.
Sierra Leone has recorded 125 cases of mpox—96 males and 29 females—with 71 active cases, 52 recoveries, and two deaths, according to the National Public Health Agency (NPHA).
Health Minister Dr Austin Demby underscored the importance of the vaccine in tackling the outbreak.
“I will be the first person to take the mpox vaccination as a show of leadership and faith in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine,” he declared.
He further assured the public that authorities would maintain strict surveillance and regular testing of suspected cases, with a particular focus on frontline health workers.
“We will do everything possible with the help of our partners to reduce the scale of transmission in the country,” Demby added.
The country declared a public health emergency in January after confirming two mpox cases. Authorities also stepped up border surveillance to prevent further spread.
Mpox, caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox, leads to high fever and skin lesions known as vesicles.
First identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, the disease was primarily confined to African nations until 2022, when it spread globally, reaching countries with no prior outbreaks.
The WHO declared its highest level of alert in 2024, emphasising the need for urgent action.
Sierra Leone has faced severe public health crises before. Between 2014 and 2016, the country was among the worst hit by the Ebola epidemic, which killed around 4,000 people, including nearly 7% of the country’s health workers.
With the mpox vaccine now available, authorities hope to prevent a similar catastrophe and protect both the public and medical personnel from the viral disease.
