With 3,185 Cases Reported, Sierra Leone Receives 20,000 Mpox Vaccines from UAE

by Chrispus C. Macauley

In a significant show of international solidarity, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has donated 20,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine to Sierra Leone to aid in the country’s response to the ongoing outbreak. The consignment is expected to arrive at Freetown International Airport on Sunday, 1st June 2025.

Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the UAE, Rashid Sesay, expressed gratitude on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone, describing the donation as “kind and timely.”

“On behalf of His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio and the people of Sierra Leone, I extend my deepest gratitude to our UAE friends for this kind and timely assistance. This move reinforces the strength of the bilateral and friendly relationship between our two countries,” Ambassador Sesay stated.

The donation marks another milestone in the growing cooperation between Sierra Leone and the UAE. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE provided seven metric Tonnes of medical supplies to assist Sierra Leone’s health response. In 2021, following the tragic Wellington fire incident, the Gulf state also donated 16 metric Tonnes of emergency medical items—support that authorities described at the time as the largest foreign aid contribution to the disaster response.

Health authorities in Sierra Leone are grappling with a rise in Mpox cases. To date, the country has recorded 3,185 confirmed cases and 15 deaths. In response, the Ministry of Health has issued public health guidelines, including frequent handwashing and minimizing overcrowding in public spaces.

The arrival of the Mpox vaccines is expected to bolster national efforts to contain the virus and protect vulnerable populations.