By: Mohamed Sahr
mohamedsahrpro@gmail.com
The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has donated 20,000 additional doses of the Mpox vaccine to the Government of Sierra Leone through Ministry of Health and National Public Health Agency in a significant show of solidarity and support towards the country’s efforts to contain the ongoing outbreak.
The vaccines arrived at Freetown International Airport on Tuesday 3rd June 2025.
Reacting to the generous gesture, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Rashid Sesay, expressed his appreciation to the President of United Arab Emirates for the swift respond to the outbreak. Adding that the vaccines would help to prevent the outbreak.
“On behalf of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio and the people of Sierra Leone, I extend our deepest gratitude to our friends in the UAE for this kind and timely assistance.
Prof Dr. Charles Senesie, Deputy Minister of Health said the vaccine would help key population especially the frontline workers and those who have been contact with the disease.
He noted that the contact tracing would be exemplified. “As we know we have 63,000 doses of vaccines and we have used about 43,000 doses,” Prof. Senesie said.
He added that the additional vaccines would boost up the healthcare as well as contacted people.
This donation not only reflects the strength of our bilateral ties but also demonstrates the UAE’s unwavering commitment to global health solidarity.”
Over the years, the UAE has remained a valuable development partner to Sierra Leone. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE provided seven metric tonnes of essential medical supplies. Additionally, in response to the tragic Wellington fire incident in 2021, the UAE sent sixteen metric tonnes of urgent medical items, marking the largest foreign assistance for that disaster.
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health has welcomed the Mpox vaccine donation as a timely boost to its national disease response strategy. The 20,000 vaccine doses will play a critical role in helping to prevent new infections, protect healthcare workers, and reduce the severity and spread of the virus in communities.
Health authorities in Sierra Leone have already introduced several preventive measures to control the outbreak, including public advisories on frequent hand-washing, minimizing overcrowding in public spaces, and early reporting of symptoms. To date, the country has recorded 3,185 confirmed Mpox cases and 15 deaths.
The vaccine distribution will be prioritized for frontline health workers, high-risk groups, and communities most affected by the outbreak, thereby strengthening the country’s capacity for outbreak containment and long-term healthcare delivery.
