Port Loko - Sierra Leone has received an additional 50,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine to strengthen its response to the ongoing outbreak. The latest consignment brings the total number of Mpox vaccine doses received in-country to approximately 203,300, with the vaccines provided through the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and other partners.

This delivery comes at a critical time when the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, is intensifying field response efforts and deploying integrated teams to all districts across the country. Despite a recent decline in cases, the government remains focused on achieving full interruption of transmission.

Speaking at the arrival of the vaccine doses, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive strategy to stop the outbreak:

“These vaccines, in addition to all the other preventive measures such as hand hygiene, social distancing, and prompt case identification and reporting will help us shut down this outbreak. When all these elements work together, the vaccine becomes the final push we need to bring the situation under control.”

The vaccine deployment will follow a targeted approach, prioritizing people at highest risk, including close contacts of confirmed cases. This strategy ensures efficient use of limited global supply, while focusing on breaking chains of transmission.

Dr. George Ameh, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone, underscored the importance of this latest batch of vaccines as a vital tool in an already robust and integrated response:

“These 50,000 doses are an additional tool that strengthens our response. Right now, integrated teams are moving from community to community across all districts, actively searching for cases. When we detect them, we immediately vaccinate close contacts to interrupt transmission. This is a critical tool, but only one part of a comprehensive approach.”

Dr. Ameh further highlighted the importance of community collaboration: “We call on all Sierra Leoneans to report suspected cases through 117. Together with public health measures, the vaccine offers us a real opportunity to bring this outbreak to an end.”

The arrival of the additional doses was made possible thanks to the strong collaboration between the Government of Sierra Leone and development partners. Liv Elin Indreiten, Deputy Country Representative for UNICEF Sierra Leone, commended the coordination behind the vaccination drive: “This is a very important milestone. The Ministry of Health is leading this response, working hand in hand with the National Public Health Agency and partners like WHO, Africa CDC, and UNICEF. The coordination has been very strong, and we are starting to see a decline in cases.”

Despite the positive momentum, officials caution that the path to ending the outbreak requires sustained effort. The Ministry of Health and partners continue to call on communities to remain vigilant, adhere to infection prevention practices, and support case reporting and contact tracing.

Highlighting the significance of global confidence in Sierra Leone’s public health efforts, a senior health official noted:

“These vaccines are scarce globally. That we are receiving more doses currently speaks to the confidence the international community has in Sierra Leone’s response. Over 53% of previously received doses have already been administered to contacts, which is a strong performance.”

WHO and its partners reaffirm their commitment to supporting Sierra Leone in reaching and maintaining zero Mpox cases. The fight against the outbreak remains a collective effort between government, technical partners, and the communities themselves.