MPOX TRACKER

As Sierra Leone grapples with one of its largest mpox outbreaks—now exceeding 4,000 confirmed cases—the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided a critical boost to the country’s response. Valued at over $126,000, the donation includes essential medical supplies, mpox test kits, laboratory equipment, and five medical-grade refrigerators. The handover ceremony, held at the Hastings Treatment Centre, underscores the importance of sustained technical support to fortify both immediate and long-term health response capacities.

WHO Country Representative Dr. George Ameh described the donation as a timely investment in frontline health workers and facilities, emphasizing its importance in reducing transmission and improving patient outcomes. The supplies will be distributed among key treatment and testing sites, including Lakka Hospital, Benguema Reference Laboratory, and the Hastings Treatment Centre—facilities central to Sierra Leone’s national outbreak strategy.

The new refrigerators will enhance cold chain capacity, critical for storing reagents, vaccines, and temperature-sensitive medications. Dr. Darlinda Jiba, who leads the Hastings facility, noted the practical impact of the donation: better storage, improved patient care, and boosted morale for clinical staff.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mustapha Kabba expressed gratitude for WHO’s continued collaboration and took the opportunity to acknowledge the relentless efforts of healthcare teams on the ground. Their work, he noted, is central to protecting the country’s most vulnerable.

This donation is not merely an emergency intervention—it represents a broader effort to strengthen Sierra Leone’s healthcare infrastructure and epidemic preparedness. As mpox continues to strain health systems across the region, the WHO’s ongoing engagement sends a clear message: global solidarity, when operationalized through targeted technical support, can help transform outbreak response into long-term health system resilience.