Africa-Press – Liberia. Amidst the ongoing outbreak of Mpox infection in Sinje, Grand Cape Mount County, the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and partners have begun rolling out vaccines targeted at vulnerable populations and preventing the spread of the disease.
According to NPHIL, the campaign follows the recent confirmation of an Mpox case in an eleven-month-old girl in the area. The child, currently under home-based care, is reported to be responding positively to treatment. “This effort marks a significant step in the country’s ongoing response to the Mpox outbreak and aims to protect vulnerable populations and prevent the spread of the disease.”
The disease, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes and can lead to serious health complications, especially in children and immunocompromised individuals. Vaccination is considered a critical tool in preventing transmission and reducing the impact of outbreaks.
Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, Director-General of NPHIL and Chair of the Incident Management System (IMS) for Mpox, provided a comprehensive overview of Liberia’s response to the outbreak. He highlighted the proactive role played by surveillance officers, healthcare teams, community members, and international partners in identifying, tracking, and controlling the disease across affected areas.
Dr. Nyan emphasized that despite the Mpox disease being declared an international public health emergency by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Liberia has not recorded a single Mpox-related death.
He credited this achievement to the country’s well-coordinated emergency response, timely interventions, and strong community engagement.
“As we move into this next critical phase of response—the vaccination campaign—we are calling on all residents of Grand Cape Mount, and eventually the rest of Liberia, to take the vaccine. This is how we protect ourselves, our families, and our communities,” Dr. Nyan urged.
Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, who officially launched the vaccination campaign, commended the people of Sinje for their cooperation with public health teams during the Mpox response. She also applauded the coordination efforts led by the IMS and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring vaccines are distributed equitably across the country.
“The people of Grand Cape Mount have shown great resilience and cooperation. As we launch this vaccine today, we are not only providing protection—we are also sending a message of hope and progress in our fight against this disease,” Minister Kpoto stated.
Liberia received over 10,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine through support from the Africa CDC, which will be distributed to high-risk areas in phases.
MOH and NPHIL are collaborating with local health teams to ensure proper cold chain management, training of vaccinators, and robust community awareness campaigns.
Among the first to receive the Mpox vaccine were the Minister of Health and the NPHIL boss. The launch event was attended by national and local health authorities, community leaders, healthcare workers, and international partners.
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