Sierra Leone News

Freetown, Sierra Leone - Today in Freetown, the World Health Organization (WHO) organized a high-level meeting to share update on the mpox situation in Sierra Leone and address urgent gaps.

Freetown, Sierra Leone - When Yusuf Sesay first noticed a strange itch around his genital area, mpox wasn’t the first thing that came to mind. He figured it might just be a mild infection, something a quick pharmacy run could fix. But within a few days, the discomfort spiraled into something harder to ignore: fever, pounding headaches, and the kind of fatigue that made getting out of bed quite difficult. 

Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a major boost to Sierra Leone’s health sector, the World Health Organization (WHO) has donated medical supplies and equipment worth over $640,000 to support the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Agency (NPHA). 

Freetown, Sierra Leone - Community engagement is visibly reshaping Sierra Leone’s response to mpox. Since the first confirmed case in January 2025, health workers and mobilisers have been moving steadily through affected areas, bridging information gaps, building trust, and helping people understand how to protect themselves and their families.

Kenema, Sierra Leone – For Mariama Sankoh, a 36-year-old mother of two, visiting the Kenema Government Hospital for a routine health check turned out to be a life-changing experience.

"I went for the screening because I heard about it through community sensitization," Mariama explains. "The nurses were kind and explained the process. When they told me I had early signs of a problem, they treated me the same day. I am thankful I came."

Port Loko, and Bombali districts - The World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s response to the ongoing mpox outbreak, following a high-level mission to other districts of concern, Port Loko and Bombali. Led by WHO Country Representative Dr George Ameh, the team engaged with local health authorities, partners, and local councils to assess current efforts and identify opportunities to strengthen the response.

As Sierra Leone continues to report new cases of mpox, the Ministry of health and partners are strengthening Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in a bid to protect the country’s health workers. 

To reinforce these efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) visited the Hastings Treatment Centre to donate essential medical supplies. Items such as face masks, surgical and isolation gowns, protective goggles, gloves, and boots will help frontline health workers to reduce their risk of infection and deliver care safely. 

Freetown, Sierra Leone - While Sierra Leone is stepping up its mpox response effort, the stories behind the outbreak highlight the virus’s impact and the determination of those affected to protect themselves and their communities.

Freetown, 17 May 2025 – Sierra Leone concluded its 2025 National Health Summit and Performance Awards, a three-day event convened under the theme “Improving Health Outcomes for All: Every Sierra Leonean Life Matters.” Hosted by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health development partners, the summit brought together leaders from across government, civil society, the health sector, and development agencies to discuss transformative strategies for health

Freetown - Sierra Leone has taken a major stride toward transforming the nation’s hospital services with the final validation of its first-ever National Hospital Strategy for Services Delivery Transformation. The comprehensive framework—validated today in Freetown—signals a decisive shift toward building a resilient, equitable, and patient-centered hospital system that meets the growing health needs of its people.