By: MoH Communication Team
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby affirmed the efficiency of vaccines as tools to fight public health emergencies. He made this statement during the just received additional 50,000 doses of the MPox vaccine. Made possible through support from GAVI–the vaccine alliance–, Africa CDC, WHO and UNICEF, these drugs will boost the country’s chances of ending the virus by guaranteeing vaccine preventable deaths and fast-tracking efforts to break the chain of transmission. These medications, backed up with ongoing national response strategies, including active surveillance, isolation and treatment, among others, will significantly increase chances of defeating the outbreak.
Receiving the drugs on behalf of the President and the people of Sierra Leone, Dr. Austin Demby described the arrival of these additional doses as a major achievement; emphasizing the President’s unwavering determination to protecting Sierra Leoneans from the virus.
“Vaccines are very potent tools to fight public health outbreaks,” he said, stressing that these medications will help drastically cut down on infections.
“Our national response strategy has proven effective as we continue to score major gains in the reduction of positive cases from around the country,” the Minister pointed out.
According to data from the National Public Health Agency, as of Monday 21st July 2025, Sierra Leone has recorded nearly 5000 confirmed cases of the virus with over 4000 recoveries and 42 deaths.
Currently, the country records anywhere between 0 to 10 confirmed cases per day, which clearly shows a massive reduction in infection rates compared to a couple of months back when over 50 cases were recorded per day. This is a confirmation of the effectiveness and efficiency of the current response strategy. Although Sierra Leone is close to ending the MPox outbreak, Minister Demby remains carefully optimistic about the chances as he emphasizes below. “Until we reach forty (40) days of zero confirmed cases, the fight against MPox is not yet over.”
Despite the increasing global demand for vaccines, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoVSL), and its health development partners, has successfully navigated the complexities of trying to get these drugs and has now secured over 200,000 doses in just six months. This is a clear demonstration of the strong commitment to fighting the virus and protecting the lives of Sierra Leoneans. Because the vaccines are limited, the Ministry of Health will continue to prioritize their administration to frontline health workers, vulnerable communities and those in close contact with infected people. The Ministry remains focused and committed to fighting the outbreak by continuing to strengthen surveillance, enhance public awareness and work closely with communities to improve public awareness and knowledge about the disease.
