With the imminent threat of Mpox in the African region, Health Authorities in Sierra Leone have said that there is no recorded or confirmed case of Mpox in the country.
This was revealed at a Press Briefing organized for Journalists in Freetown on Tuesday 20th August.
Executive Director at the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), Professor Foday Sahr told a news conference in Freetown on Tuesday that said that currently, there is no confirmed case of Mpox in Sierra Leone but stated that they recognize the potential risk of the disease and that they have taken proactive steps to protect the population.
Prof. Sahr assured that there is no cause for panic as they have intensified surveillance at all crossing points, including the airport and all border crossing points, adding that health workers are well-trained and ready to detect and respond to potential cases.
He also underscored the importance of awareness raising through robust community engagement and collaboration with the media to pass the right message to the public to influence attitude and change behaviors.
Talking on prevention, the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby said that the primary focus is to deny the virus from entering the country, ‘’but if it eventually enters, the country is better prepared for early detection and containment’’. He emphasized the role of the public in preventing the disease as there is need for increased education of the public about the disease, noting that correct and consistent messaging is critical in understating the disease, especially the signs which are the things community people would see for action.
Dr. Demby called the public to report to the nearest health facility if they notice signs like generalized body rash (KroKro), which is one of the most common signs of the disease or call 117.
Talking about vaccination as a preventive tool, Dr. Demby confirmed that there is a vaccine for Mopx but it is not yet in the country, adding that the vaccine is provided to countries that have reported cases, adding that the vaccine is limited in supply.
“Everyone is at risk of the disease, but people who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of the disease, so every effort should be made by all to prevent the disease,” said Dr. Demby.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative to Sierra Leone, Dr Innocent Bright Nuwagira said that though Mpox is a serious disease but could be treated. He told the public not to panic. He warned that people should not be so hasty to stigmatize people suspected of the disease or people with
He ended by committing their continued support to the Government of Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Health on issues of health and public health concerns.
Mpox and its spread
Mpox is a virus endemic to Central and Western Africa. It is like smallpox but less contagious and spreads primarily through close contact with infected animals or people, or the consumption of contaminated meat. It can also be spread through sexual contact or transmitted in utero to a fetus.
The disease’s rapid spread in 2022 led the World Health Organization to declare the Mpox epidemic a global health emergency in July of that year, and infections were detected in over 70 countries that had never previously reported the disease. Since then, it has affected nearly 100,000 people in 116 countries.
The outbreak has largely subsided in Europe, Asia and the Americas, but it has not been eradicated — there have been hundreds of cases in the United States this year. At the same time, it has worsened in parts of Africa this year, leading the W.H.O. to declare once again that Mpox is a global health emergency.
Smallpox vaccination, which was nearly universal half a century ago, gives a high degree of resistance to Mpox infection. But smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, and since then few people have received the vaccine.
Fever, headache, muscle aches and a blistering rash that progresses to pustules, which eventually scab over, are common signs of the disease. Symptoms can last two to four weeks, and treatment relies heavily on supportive care and alleviating symptoms.
By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma, Senior Health Education Officer – HEP/MoH