Sierra Leone, on Monday, declared a public health emergency in response to mpox, taking swift action to enhance border surveillance after confirming two cases of the viral disease.
“The confirmation of two mpox cases has necessitated immediate measures as outlined in the public health act,” Health Minister Austin Demby announced during a press briefing in Freetown. “On behalf of the government of Sierra Leone, I am officially declaring a public health emergency.”
The country reported its first confirmed mpox case last week, marking the first detection since the disease was escalated to the World Health Organisation‘s highest alert level in 2024. A second case was identified when a 21-year-old man displayed symptoms on January 6, according to the National Public Health Agency’s update on social media.
Minister Demby emphasised that the emergency declaration empowers the government to mobilise resources, curb the disease’s spread, and provide care for affected individuals.
He also announced heightened border checks, expanded testing, and the initiation of a nationwide awareness campaign. Drawing on prior experience with Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks, Demby assured citizens that the healthcare system is well-prepared to manage this situation.
“We urge everyone to stay calm, stay informed, and promptly report any suspected cases to healthcare authorities,” he advised.
Mpox, caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, is characterised by high fever and skin lesions known as vesicles.
First identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, the disease was initially restricted to a dozen African nations but began spreading globally in 2022, reaching areas previously unaffected.
Sierra Leone, a country profoundly impacted by the West African Ebola outbreak a decade ago—losing nearly 4,000 lives, including almost seven percent of its health workers between 2014 and 2016—faces this new challenge with a sobering sense of resilience and preparedness.
