By Sallieu S. Kanu
Sierra Leone has recorded significant progress in its Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) preparedness, improving its national readiness score from 51 percent in May 2026 to 83 percent in October 2026.
The achievement reflects sustained government leadership, institutional commitment and strong collaboration among public health stakeholders and development partners in strengthening the country’s health security systems.
Speaking on the latest assessment results, Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, commended the progress made but cautioned against complacency, stressing that an 83 percent preparedness level remains insufficient in the face of a deadly disease such as Ebola.
While acknowledging the gains achieved, the Minister emphasised the need for urgent action to address the remaining gaps in the country’s preparedness framework. He tasked the Executive Director of the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), Prof. Brig. Gen. Foday Sahr, with ensuring that all critical interventions are implemented to strengthen Sierra Leone’s ability to prevent, detect and respond effectively to potential Ebola outbreaks.
Responding to the directive, Prof. Sahr reaffirmed the NPHA’s commitment to closing the identified gaps through targeted interventions, enhanced coordination and greater accountability across key technical pillars.
He further disclosed that a follow-up readiness assessment will be conducted within the next month to evaluate progress made through the planned interventions, verify improvements and identify any outstanding challenges requiring attention.
Health authorities say the improvement from 51 percent to 83 percent marks an important milestone in the country’s preparedness efforts. However, they emphasised that preparedness goes beyond assessment scores and requires resilient systems, trained personnel and informed communities capable of responding effectively during public health emergencies.
As Sierra Leone continues to strengthen its health security architecture, officials maintain that priority attention will be focused on translating assessment findings into concrete actions, closing operational gaps and sustaining the gains already achieved.
The country’s health leadership has underscored that while the 83 percent readiness score is encouraging, bridging the remaining 17 percent gap remains critical to safeguarding Sierra Leone against future Ebola threats and other public health emergencies.