Sierra Leone begins Ebola vaccine rollout 10 years after historic outbreak

The African country of Sierra Leone is set to begin its rollout of the Ebola vaccine, 10 years after a historic outbreak of the virus.

The Vaccine Rollout

The government’s vaccine campaign, developed in collaboration with global health organizations including Gavi, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, is set to reach 20,000 frontline workers nationwide, officials confirmed.

“This is an investment in the safety of our people and a healthier Sierra Leone,” Sierra Leone Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby said.

The Ebola Outbreak

The 2014 Ebola epidemic, the deadliest on record, devastated West Africa, and Sierra Leone suffered the heaviest toll. Of the more than 11,000 deaths reported worldwide, nearly 4,000 occurred in Sierra Leone, which also suffered the loss of 7 percent of its healthcare workforce to the crisis.

No approved vaccine was available during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which began in Guinea and spread across borders to heavily impact Sierra Leone and Liberia. The epidemic ultimately resulted in up to 28,000 cases across the region.

It has been three years since Guinea reported its last Ebola case, but officials warn that the virus remains a persistent threat in regions where it is endemic.

Hassan Kamara, a Freetown resident, lost nine relatives to the Ebola virus during the 2014 outbreak. Of the 11 family members in his household, only Kamara and his infant daughter survived.

“They died in front of me,” Kamara told The Associated Press (AP). “I feel bad sometimes speaking about this because of what I went through.”

Health workers in Freetown greeted the launch of Thursday’s vaccination campaign in the capital with enthusiasm. Collins Thomas, a community health worker in Freetown, recalls the devastating loss of numerous colleagues who succumbed while caring for patients during the city’s 2014 Ebola outbreak.

“It was scary, because we knew nothing about the disease and learned along the line. With this vaccine, we know we are protected,” Thomas said to the AP.

Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive of Gavi, praised the organization’s role in promoting equitable and timely vaccine access, stating it is “incredibly proud” of its efforts to save lives and safeguard communities.

“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,” Dr. Nishtar said, per the AP.

Similar Outbreaks

In September, the African nation of Rwanda reported several cases and at least eight deaths attributed to the highly contagious Marburg virus, an Ebola-like disease.

Like Ebola, the Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats and can spread between individuals through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated surfaces, such as bed linens. Without proper medical intervention, the Marburg virus can be fatal in up to 88 percent of cases.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.