Sierra Leone launches Ebola vaccination drive for frontline health workers
Sierra Leone launched a nationwide Ebola vaccination campaign this week to protect 20 000 health workers, traditional healers, community health personnel and other frontline workers. The campaign comes a decade after the devastating 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
The vaccination campaign, using the ERVEBO vaccine and being rolled out with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision partners, seeks to safeguard the nation’s healthcare workers while strengthening preparedness for future outbreaks.
The campaign is targeting 16 districts in the country to vaccinate healthcare workers, traditional healers, community health and social workers, laboratory personnel, motorcycle taxi drivers and security forces that will be involved in any future outbreak response. Nearly 4000 people, including around 280 health workers, died in Sierra Leone during the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak.
The ERVEBO vaccine, has globally been administered to more than 500 000 people and provides close to 100% protection against the Ebola virus.
“This campaign is crucial for reducing the risks healthcare workers face when treating undiagnosed cases of Ebola. By vaccinating these frontline workers, we can potentially break chains of transmission and prevent outbreaks from escalating,” said Dr George Ameh, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone.
WHO, UNICEF and other partners are supporting the vaccination campaign by providing technical expertise, logistical coordination, and monitoring systems.
Sierra Leone, one of the hardest-hit countries during the West Africa Ebola outbreak, has used the lessons learned to bolster its health systems and outbreak response mechanisms. With this vaccination campaign, the country aims to create a strong barrier against the resurgence of Ebola and create a robust epidemic preparedness.
In addition to the targeted vaccination of healthcare workers, mechanisms are in place to rapidly deploy vaccines to the public in the event of an outbreak. A global stockpile of Ebola vaccines, managed by the International Coordinating Group is set to ensure timely delivery, enabling swift responses.
