By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma
Senior Health Promotion Officer – HEP/MoH
On the morning of 15 December 2025, relief swept quietly across Sierra Leone. For the first time in months, the country could finally exhale. Standing before the nation, the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Agency (NPHA) announced that the Mpox outbreak had ended. The declaration came after 42 days without a single new confirmed case, meeting the World Health Organization’s standard for outbreak containment.
Behind that announcement were thousands of individual stories of fear, resilience, recovery, and collective action. During the outbreak, 5,442 people were diagnosed with Mpox. For 5,382 of them, recovery meant returning to families, workplaces, and communities. Yet, 60 lives were lost, a sobering reminder that every outbreak leaves a human cost. These numbers tell only part of the story. The rest is found in the determination of health workers, the courage of affected families, and communities that chose cooperation over fear.
A Disease That Touched Everyone
Mpox did not discriminate. Surveillance data showed that men and women were almost equally affected, with women accounting for 48 per cent of confirmed cases. Market women, teachers, caregivers, and professionals all found themselves navigating the same uncertainty.
Children, too, were part of the story. Though adults aged 20–49 years were the most affected, children under 15 years made up about 5.4 per cent of cases. For parents, this meant anxious nights and difficult decisions. For health workers, it reinforced the urgency of protecting everyone young and old alike.
Hope Before the First Case
Even before Sierra Leone confirmed its first Mpox case on 10 January 2025, conversations about vaccines were already taking place—in offices, on radio programmes, and in communities. People asked questions. They wanted reassurance. They wanted protection.
That early dialogue mattered.
When cases began to rise, the country was ready to act. On 19–20 March 2025, Sierra Leone launched its nationwide Mpox vaccination campaign, focusing first on frontline health workers, close contacts of confirmed cases, and other high-risk groups. In a powerful moment of reassurance, the Minister of Health publicly received the first dose, sending a clear message: the vaccine was safe, necessary, and lifesaving. This effort was made possible by the arrival of 61,300 doses of the Mpox vaccine on 25 February 2025, marking a turning point in the national response.
When Vaccination Changed the Course
Vaccination is not a cure—but during the Mpox outbreak, it became a shield. By strengthening the body’s immune response, vaccines helped reduce severe illness and slowed the spread of the virus. Over time, this protection added up. A total of 273,600 vaccine doses were received, and 186,053 people from priority risk groups were vaccinated.
Nearly half of those vaccinated (49%) were contacts of confirmed cases people who lived with uncertainty every day. Health-care workers made up 18 %, many of whom continued serving others despite the risks. Another 13 per cent came from high-risk groups, often the hardest to reach.
The 20–49-year age group accounted for 78 per cent of vaccinations, reflecting their higher exposure risk and the focused strategy of the response. Vaccination coverage was balanced across genders, with 51 per cent male and 49 per cent female, reinforcing equity at the heart of the campaign.
A Victory Built on Trust
The end of Sierra Leone’s first Mpox outbreak was not just a medical achievement but a triumph of trust. Of course yes, trust in science, trust in leadership and trust between communities and the health system.
Vaccination, alongside surveillance, community engagement, and clear communication, proved to be a decisive public health tool. It saved lives, restored confidence, and showed what is possible when a nation works together.
As Sierra Leone looks ahead, the lessons of Mpox remain clear: preparedness matters, communities matter, and when people are protected, hope follows.
About the Author:
Ibrahim Sorie Koroma is a Mass Communication graduate from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone with a Postgraduate Diploma and a Master’s degree in Public Health from Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology (EBKUST). He is a public health communication professional with experience in health promotion and community engagement.
