A decade after the devastating West Africa Ebola outbreak, Sierra Leone is set to launch a nationwide preventive vaccination campaign targeting 20,000 frontline workers. The initiative, beginning on December 5, marks the first such campaign in a country most severely affected by the 2014–2016 epidemic, which claimed nearly 4,000 lives in Sierra Leone and decimated 7% of its healthcare workforce.
Led by the Ministry of Health and supported by global partners including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, and UNICEF, the campaign will administer a single dose of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine to healthcare professionals, traditional healers, religious leaders, ambulance drivers, and other high-risk individuals across all 16 districts.
“This campaign strengthens our health system by safeguarding frontline workers and enhancing national preparedness against future health threats,” said Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s Health Minister.
During the 2014 outbreak, Sierra Leone bore the brunt of the crisis, with nearly 9,000 confirmed or probable cases. At the time, no approved vaccines were available. Gavi subsequently funded the development of Ebola vaccines and established a 500,000-dose global stockpile, managed by the International Coordinating Group.
The preventive vaccination effort is part of a broader strategy to mitigate the impact of potential future outbreaks in endemic regions. WHO’s Dr. Thompson Igbu emphasized the campaign’s significance, describing it as a culmination of years of collaboration and preparation to protect those most at risk.
UNICEF has played a critical role in delivering over 20,000 vaccine doses to Sierra Leone, ensuring proper storage in ultra-low-temperature freezers and supporting risk communication to build community trust.
Sierra Leone’s campaign is part of a growing movement across Africa to strengthen defenses against Ebola. Similar efforts have been conducted in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with the Central African Republic preparing to follow suit.
Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar praised Sierra Leone’s leadership, noting that the initiative represents a milestone in global health security and demonstrates the transformative power of vaccines in combating deadly diseases like Ebola.