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The Government of the United Arab Emirates has donated 20,000 doses of Mpox vaccine to Sierra Leone to support the country’s response to the disease outbreak.
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the UAE, Rashid Sesay, reacting to the gesture from the UAE authorities, said: “On behalf of His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio and the people of Sierra Leone, I extend my deepest gratitude to our UAE friends for this kind and timely assistance.’’
“This move reinforces the strength of the bilateral and friendly relationship between our two countries.” He added.
The UAE also made similar donations of sixteen metric tonnes of urgent medical items in response to the Wellington fire incident in 2021. Health authorities described the 2021 donation as timely, representing the largest foreign assistance to the incident, and as crucial assistance in supporting the quick recovery of the fire victims. Ambassador Rashid Sesay explained.
“Over the years, the UAE has been a supportive partner to Sierra Leone. It could be recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gulf state donated seven metric tonnes of medical supplies to support Sierra Leone’s efforts to curb the pandemic.”
Finally, Ambassador Sesay said, in a bid to curtail the spread of the disease, the health authorities in Sierra Leone earlier this month issued several guidelines, including frequent handwashing and reducing overcrowding, particularly in public places. So far, figures from health authorities report that the country has recorded a total of 3185 confirmed cases with 15 deaths.
The vaccines are expected to arrive at the Freetown International Airport on Sunday, 1st June 2025.
