Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. On Thursday, 14 August 2025, the Ministry of Health hosted a one-day National Discourse on MPOX Response at the Atlantic Hotel in Aberdeen. The event brought together media representatives, civil society organizations (CSOs), development partners, and health officials from across Sierra Leone to discuss the country’s response to the MPOX virus.”
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, expressed gratitude to His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio and the government for the direct financial support of $1.7 million in the fight against MPOX. He noted that since the first two cases were reported in January 2025, Sierra Leone declared a public health emergency, recording over 5,000 cases to date, with more than 4,900 recoveries.
Minister Demby highlighted key interventions by the National Public Health Agency, including the establishment of MPOX response centers in Hastings, Calabatown, and Port Loko, as well as isolation units in government hospitals to treat infected patients. He reported a significant decline in cases, with only 84 active cases nationwide 90% of which are in healthcare facilities, while the remaining 10% are under strict surveillance.
This progress, he explained, stems from the Ministry’s strategy of removing infected individuals from their homes for centralized care and intensifying contact tracing efforts. Additionally, the Ministry has implemented a case-by-case surveillance approach to achieve zero MPOX cases.
Minister Demby also commended Sierra Leone’s strong vaccination record, which enabled the country to secure over 200,000 doses of MPOX vaccines.
Today’s discussion underscores the Ministry of Health’s commitment to transparency in public health matters and reaffirms the government’s dedication to safeguarding citizens from health threats.
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