Sierra Leone Launches Nationwide Ebola Vaccination Campaign

Sierra Leone has initiated a nationwide Ebola vaccination campaign targeting 20,000 frontline workers, marking the first such effort in West Africa since the devastating 2014 outbreak that claimed nearly 4,000 lives in the country. Implemented in collaboration with Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, the campaign aims to protect healthcare professionals, police, military personnel, and traditional healers with the single-dose Ervebo vaccine. The vaccination effort highlights the ongoing risks of Ebola in endemic regions, as officials stress the importance of safeguarding those most exposed to the virus. Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby described the initiative as vital for national health security and a significant investment in public health. The campaign is particularly poignant as it coincides with the decade anniversary of the Ebola outbreak, which resulted in the loss of 7% of Sierra Leone's healthcare workforce. Community health workers have expressed relief at the arrival of the vaccine, hoping it will prevent a repeat of the past tragedy.