The World Health Organization (WHO) has donated a range of infection prevention and control (IPC) materials to Sierra Leone’s National Public Health Agency (NPHA) to bolster the country’s response to the ongoing Mpox outbreak. The donation, which included personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, face masks, and gowns, was officially handed over at a ceremony on August 25 at the NPHA headquarters in Freetown.

Dr. Thompson Igbu, WHO’s Cluster Lead for Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases, commended the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for its proactive approach to the outbreak. He emphasized the importance of international collaboration in containing and preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and stressed the need for continued surveillance to ensure the outbreak is fully contained.

Alhaji Dr. Mohamed Alex Vandi, Deputy Executive Director of NPHA, received the donation on behalf of the agency. He expressed gratitude for WHO’s “unwavering support” and noted that the partnership has been “instrumental” in advancing Sierra Leone’s public health goals.

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“This donation is more than a gesture,” Dr. Vandi said. “It is a reaffirmation of trust, solidarity, and shared purpose.” He added that the materials would play a critical role in the country’s goal of extinguishing Mpox transmission by the end of August.

The donated items, which also included bandages and protective footwear, are intended to safeguard frontline health workers and reduce transmission risks. According to Mr. Ralph Eldred Williams, who represented the Technical Lead of the IPC Pillar, the supplies will be deployed to high-risk districts across the country.

The donation ceremony was attended by other pillar leads from the NPHA, including those responsible for Surveillance, Risk Communication, and Case Management, highlighting the unified, multisectoral approach to the Mpox response.

The NPHA stated that it remains steadfast in its mission to ensure that “no one is safe until everyone is protected.”