Following the recent death of Dr. Victoria Nicholas at the Kono Government Hospital, the Pujehun District Health Management Team has launched a compulsory Ebola vaccination campaign aimed at preventing the spread of the virus and safeguarding public health.

The initiative, which targets both public and private sector workers as well as the general public, was introduced during a recent meeting with community stakeholders.

Sister Ella Sawyer, the District Health Sister One, underscored the urgency of the vaccination effort, recalling the devastating impact of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, which claimed thousands of lives.

She reassured the community that the government is fully committed to ensuring the vaccine reaches all individuals except for specific groups—pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under 18—who are excluded from the vaccination.

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Francis Kanneh, the District Social Mobilization Lead, emphasized the critical role of community participation in combating the virus.

He encouraged residents to get vaccinated, noting the importance of the vaccine in preventing Ebola from entering the body. Mohamed Jalloh, the EPI Lead for Pujehun, announced that over 1,650 doses of the Ebola vaccine have already been delivered to the district, with immediate distribution underway.

Health officials are hopeful that widespread vaccination will help to build immunity in the community, ultimately preventing another outbreak. Sister Sawyer also encouraged residents to practice good hygiene, particularly regular handwashing, as part of broader efforts to curb the virus’s spread.

The Pujehun District Health Management Team remains committed to protecting public health and fostering resilience through comprehensive community engagement.

As the vaccination campaign unfolds, it is clear that community participation will be crucial to ensuring its success and the long-term safety of the district.