Mpox declared a public health emergency in Sierra Leone
Date : 16 January 2025
Venue : Freetown, Sierra Leone
The Minister of
Health, Dr. Austin Demby, officially declaring the MPox situation in Sierra
Leone a public health emergency at the National Public Health Agency office in
Freetown.
After the confirmation
of two cases, the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Health
(MoH) and the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), has declared MPox a public
health emergency. Declaring the pronouncement, the Minister of Health, Dr.
Austin Demby, said that the decision was made in consultation with the
President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, technical teams of MoH and NPHA as well as
international partners including the World Health Organization to ensure a
swift and coordinated response to the emerging health concern. The government’s
desire to rapidly contain the disease and decisively safeguard public health is
well highlighted in this declaration. According to the Minister, “it allows us
to act immediately in order to mobilize the needed human and material resources
to contain the disease, prevent further spread and provide quality care to
those already affected.”
