FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — On Thursday, Sierra Leone began a historic nationwide rollout of the single-dose Ebola vaccine, a significant milestone in the fight against the deadly virus that devastated the country a decade ago. This campaign, the first of its kind in West Africa since the 2014 outbreak, aims to protect 20,000 frontline workers in a country that suffered the highest number of deaths during the crisis.
The 2014 Ebola outbreak, which was the deadliest in history, claimed nearly 4,000 lives in Sierra Leone out of more than 11,000 deaths across West Africa. It ravaged the country’s healthcare system, with approximately 7% of the medical workforce lost to the disease. Despite these overwhelming losses, no approved vaccine was available during the outbreak. The virus spread rapidly from Guinea to Sierra Leone and Liberia, with little knowledge of how to effectively combat it.
Now that an effective Ebola vaccine is available, the Sierra Leone government has partnered with the global vaccine alliance Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF to prevent future outbreaks. Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby called the initiative “an investment in the safety of our people and a healthier Sierra Leone.”
This rollout marks a pivotal moment in Sierra Leone’s public health efforts. For many, the memory of the 2014 epidemic is still fresh, with people like Freetown resident Hassan Kamara haunted by personal loss. Kamara lost nine family members to the virus, with only himself and his baby daughter surviving. “They died in front of me,” he shared. “I feel bad sometimes speaking about this because of what I went through.”
For health workers, the introduction of the Ebola vaccine brings a sense of relief and protection. Collins Thomas, a community health worker in Freetown, remembers the terror of managing patients with little knowledge of the disease. “It was scary, because we knew nothing about the disease and learned along the line,” Thomas said. “With this vaccine, we know we are protected.”
The vaccine campaign began in Freetown, the capital, before expanding nationwide. Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, praised the campaign’s significance, emphasizing the importance of timely and equitable access to vaccines in preventing outbreaks. “To have the first nationwide preventive vaccination campaign take place in the country most deeply impacted by the 2014 outbreak makes this historic milestone even more meaningful,” Nishtar remarked.
Although the last case of Ebola in Guinea was recorded three years ago, experts continue to monitor regions where the virus remains a threat. The vaccine campaign, which targets high-risk populations, is part of a broader effort to safeguard communities and prevent another devastating outbreak. As the country recovers from the scars of the past, this vaccination effort is a crucial step towards a safer and healthier future for Sierra Leone.
