U.S. Embassy Donates 67,200 Mpox Vaccine Doses to Sierra Leone
Aaron Parker The U.S. Embassy in Freetown has delivered 67,200 doses of the Mpox vaccine to Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, marking a significant step in the country’s ongoing fight against the disease.
The vaccines were secured through GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and aim to further bolster the nation’s prevention efforts.
The Embassy noted that Sierra Leone has made remarkable progress in controlling the outbreak, with cases falling from a peak of 200 per day in April to single digits by August.
This achievement, the Embassy highlighted, has been supported by over $2 million in U.S. assistance, as well as the dedicated efforts of the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Agency, and frontline health workers.
At the handover ceremony, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Jared Yancey said: “Vaccines are a critical tool in stopping this outbreak. By strengthening prevention, protecting frontline workers, and reducing transmission, these doses bring us closer to achieving zero Mpox cases in Sierra Leone.”
The Embassy emphasized that this donation reflects the ongoing partnership between the United States and Sierra Leone in advancing public health and combating infectious diseases.