By: Mohamed Sahr
mohamedsahrpro@gmail.com
In a continued effort to eradicate Mpox disease through robust response and preparedness, the Executive Director of the National Public Health Agency (NPHA) announced significant progress during a joint press conference with the Ministry of Health and the West African Health Organization (WAHO) on Wednesday, 11th June 2025, at NPHA headquarters in Freetown.
Professor Foday Sahr, Executive Director of NPHA, reported that the agency had recorded 3,001 active cases out of a total of 3,922 cumulative cases as of 11th June 2025. He emphasized that their primary focus remains on reducing transmission, ensuring timely treatment, and protecting all citizens.
Professor Sahr reiterated that the NPHA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, will continue to lead the national response with a key focus on identifying all infected individuals in various communities and admitting them into treatment facilities.
“We are adhering to international standards,” he stated.
He stressed the importance of improving patient care by strengthening coordination and discouraging home-based treatment. He also noted that mobilization of resources plays a critical role in the vaccine rollout. The vaccination strategy has now shifted focus from solely targeting frontline healthcare workers to including contacts of infected individuals.
Professor Sahr highlighted that Rapid Response Teams and epidemiologists have been deployed across the country in a nationwide effort to eradicate the Mpox virus.
Thanks to strengthened information sharing and contact tracing, 6,700 infected individuals have been identified, and 5,100 have successfully completed their 21-day follow-up period.
He underlined that surveillance, contact tracing, and infection prevention and control (IPC) remain essential pillars of the response. The NPHA will continue supporting all districts with logistics and personnel to bolster prevention efforts, which align with the National Health Strategy.
Dr. Mamadou Diarrassouba, Executive Director of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control, commended the Government of Sierra Leone for its robust response and preparedness measures to control the outbreak.
He revealed that since the declaration of the Mpox outbreak in Sierra Leone, the ECOWAS bloc has donated \$50,000 to help curb its spread. He emphasized that their support is not only financial but a symbol of solidarity in the collective fight against the disease.
Dr. Diarrassouba encouraged all ECOWAS member states to implement their own initiatives and strategies while seeking external support when necessary. He assured that ECOWAS will remain in Sierra Leone until the Mpox disease is completely eradicated.
Dr. Abdourahmane Sow, Director of Public Health at Institut Pasteur in Dakar, stressed that the country must prioritize identifying, evaluating, and controlling the outbreak.
He noted that with a collaborative approach, they have increased the genome sequencing capacity from 5 to 8. “We are adding further sequencing and diagnostic capabilities in Port Loko,” Dr. Sow stated.
He also outlined plans to deploy mobile fluid testing laboratories in the field to detect cases at the community level. Additionally, he assured continued support in data management.