By Kemo Cham
Sierra Leone on Thursday launched a nationwide vaccination campaign against Mpox, two months after the government declared an outbreak of the viral disease.
Health authorities say the vaccination exercise will target members of the population most at risk.
Health Minister Dr Austin Demby presided over the launch in Freetown.
“Today is a special day,” he said, describing the vaccine as an “important tool” that will complement ongoing interventions by the ministry and its partners like surveillance and public sensitization.
Sierra Leone launches a nationwide vaccination campaign on Thursday,
March 27, 2024.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a virus that causes fevers, headaches, and painful boils on the skin. It can spread from person to person through close physical contact, including sexual intercourse.
The current outbreak began in 2023, and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared it a Public Health of Continental Security in August 2024, after cases escalated across the continent.
Latest data from the continental public health agency as of March 27th show that 7,983 cases have been recorded since January 2025, with 49 fatalities.
A total of 23 countries on the continent are experiencing active transmission of cases, according to the data.
Sierra Leone became the last country in the Mano River Union to record an Mpox case when the National Public Health Agency (NPHA) declared an outbreak in January, after confirming two cases of the viral disease. The Ministry of Health followed that with the declaration of a State of Public Health Emergency. Since then, the country has registered two deaths, according to NPHA’s daily update for Friday, March 26th, out of a total of 115 cumulative confirmed cases.
Majority of the cases are in the Western Area (the capital Freetown and its environs).
The National Public Health Agency (NPHA) in February mounted a nationwide case search operation as part of its strategy to contain the spread of the virus.
The vaccine 61, 300 doses was procured by UNICEF with funding from the vaccine alliance, GAVI and the Republic of Ireland, with technical support from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (African CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Sierra Leone becomes the 14th member country of the African Union to deploy the vaccine.
Dr Desmond Kangbai, Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization in the Ministry of Health, praised the collaborative efforts of partners in ensuring the deployment of the vaccines.
But with a population of 8.5 million people, 61,300 doses is a drop in the ocean for Sierra Leone. Officials therefore say that they have devised a strategy way of deploy it for maximum impact. This entails targeting people most at risk.
The vaccines are recommended for individuals aged 12 and older. But the MoH and the NPHA said it will be administered primarily to health workers, security officers and contacts and relatives of infected persons. The plan also includes targeting hotspots of the disease.
The exercise will start in the Western area, comprising the capital, Freetown and its environs, before being extended nationwide.
To ensure public cooperation, a major community engagement effort is planned. At the heart of this sensitization effort will be the civil society.
Speaking on behalf of the civil society partners at the launch, FOCUS 1000 Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Bailor Jalloh described the vaccine as a “remarkable” achievement.
“It is no doubt that vaccination is a key means of prevention of so many diseases,” he said.
“We saw how vaccination was able to eradicate small pox. We also saw how vaccination dealt with polio,” he added.
NPHA Executive Director Prof. Foday Sahr, also expressed delight at the development, describing the vaccine as an additional resource in the country’s arsenal against Mpox. He vowed that his agency will continue with surveillance and other ongoing interventions geared towards breaking the transmission of the virus.
“I want to assure every Sierra Leonean that we will do everything possible, with the help of our partners, to make sure that we break the chain of transmission of Mpox in Sierra Leone,” he said.
