Sierra Leone Launches Nationwide Ebola Vaccination Campaign Amid Ongoing Health Concerns

Photo: @africanews

December 5, 2024 Hour: 10:03 pm

On Thursday, authorities in Sierra Leone initiated a nationwide rollout of a single-dose Ebola vaccine, marking the first such campaign in West Africa since the devastating outbreak a decade ago that claimed thousands of lives. The 2014 Ebola outbreak, the deadliest in history, primarily affected West Africa, with Sierra Leone suffering the most significant losses—nearly 4,000 deaths out of over 11,000 recorded globally. The outbreak also resulted in the loss of 7% of the country’s healthcare workforce.

Cynthia Reffell, a health worker involved in the vaccination effort, stated that those most exposed to the disease will be prioritized for vaccination. “We are targeting healthcare workers and frontline workers like police officers, military personnel, and traditional healers,” she explained. “We are focusing on preventive measures because if one person is affected, every other person will be at risk.”

The vaccination campaign is being implemented by the government in collaboration with global partners including Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF. Officials aim to vaccinate 20,000 frontline workers across the country as part of this initiative.

To enhance community engagement and ensure the campaign’s success, health officials have enlisted traditional healers to help inform and encourage local populations about the vaccine. Darlington Coker, a traditional healer, emphasized their role: “As they have informed us about the vaccine, it is our responsibility as stakeholders and traditional healers to encourage communities to take vaccines that are not harmful.”

Sierra Leone today launched a national #Ebola vaccination campaign, targeting 20,000 health workers, frontlines responders & other high-risk populations.

The vaccination is crucial to protecting health workforce, reinforcing outbreak response capacity and health system… pic.twitter.com/0nYBxUdEys
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) December 5, 2024

During the 2014 outbreak, there was no approved vaccine available when cases surged to nearly 28,000, beginning in Guinea before spreading to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Although three years have passed since Guinea recorded its last case, officials remain vigilant about potential threats in endemic regions.

As Sierra Leone embarks on this critical vaccination campaign, it reflects both a commitment to public health and a proactive approach to preventing future outbreaks of Ebola in a region still grappling with its legacy.