Over 5,000 Cases Tackled, Active Cases Down to 24
By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a decisive move to address the ongoing mpox outbreak, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health convened a national panel discussion on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel. Led by Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby, the panel brought together senior health officials and representatives from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) to outline the country’s comprehensive response strategy.
Since the outbreak began in January 2025 with two initial cases in the Western Area, Sierra Leone has recorded over 5,000 confirmed cases. The Ministry’s swift action—including emergency declarations, centralized care, and mass vaccination—has significantly curbed the spread, reducing active cases to just 24.
Dr. Demby highlighted the Ministry’s success in securing 200,000 doses of mpox vaccines, valued at over €100 per dose, through strategic global engagement.
“These vaccines are not simply available, even if you have the money,” he said. “For Sierra Leone to receive these doses is a testament to the generosity of donors, and we will use them appropriately.”
He credited the Ministry’s infrastructure and dedicated personnel for the effective rollout and emphasized the shift from community-managed care to centralized isolation facilities, which led to improved recovery rates and reduced transmission.
“We moved from community care to facility isolation, and that helped us drop active cases from 2,000 to just 84,” Dr. Demby noted. “Now, we’re down to 24.”
The Ministry aims to reach zero cases for 42 consecutive days by September or early October to officially declare the outbreak over. A “man-to-man” tracking strategy is now in place, supported by $1.7 million in government funding and an additional $500,000 redirected from hospital drug allocations.
🧪 NPHA Director Details Tactical Response Dr. Foday Sahr, Director of the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), recounted the outbreak’s escalation and the agency’s aggressive containment measures. Following the January 13 emergency declaration, the NPHA launched “Operation Find Them All” to locate unreported cases and expanded treatment capacity from 90 to over 700 beds.
“We’ve vaccinated 150,000 people and increased testing labs from five to ten,” Dr. Sahr reported. “We’ve seen a consistent decline from triple digits to single digits.”
To date, Sierra Leone has recorded 5,132 confirmed cases, 4,997 recoveries, 31 deaths, and 24 active cases.
Dr. Alie Wurrie, Director of Primary Health Care, underscored the Ministry’s coordinated response, including the activation of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center and the establishment of isolation centers in all districts.
“We’ve trained staff and held regular meetings to refine our strategies,” she said. “Over 2,000 health workers are conducting house-to-house mobilization.”
She also praised collaboration with local councils, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations to meet the Minister’s timeline for containment.
UNICEF’s representative lauded the Ministry’s collaborative approach and highlighted the role of partners like Gavi in providing cold chain equipment for vaccine storage.
“I want to congratulate you, sir, for your wonderful team,” she told Dr. Demby.
The WHO representative, standing in for Dr. George Anne, contextualized the outbreak within its global trajectory and praised Sierra Leone’s leadership.
“We see a declining trend in cases,” the representative said. “The goal is a resilient health system post-outbreak.”
Dr. Demby concluded the panel by urging community cooperation and media engagement to simplify public health messaging and sustain progress.
“We are committed to reaching and maintaining zero cases,” he affirmed.
As Sierra Leone nears containment, the Ministry’s data-driven, community-focused response stands as a model of resilience and global partnership in public health.