Frontline workers will receive a single dose of the Ervebo vaccine.
Sierra Leone on Thursday started injecting the first of thousands of frontline workers with a preventive Ebola vaccine, a decade after the disease ravaged parts of West Africa killing more than 11,000 people.
Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia were the worst-affected countries 10 years ago, in what was the largest Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered in 1976.
Sierra Leone is the first of the three countries to launch a national Ebola vaccination campaign, which will target 20,000 frontline workers.
Healthcare professionals and those most at risk of being exposed to the disease -- such as first responders, traditional healers, religious leaders and security forces -- will receive a single dose of the Ervebo vaccine.
"The Ebola vaccine is very good for us health workers," said 40-year-old Josephine Abdulai after receiving her shot at a maternity hospital in the east of Freetown. She said she lost five family members to the disease in 2014. "If this vaccine was available at the time their lives could have been saved," she added.
The national rollout will take place across all of Sierra Leone's 16 districts, implemented by the health ministry in partnership with the Gavi vaccine alliance, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, a joint statement said.
"We are targeting at least 50 people a day at specific locations in Freetown," said Foday Ambrose Marrah, the district operations officer for the health ministry in Western Area Urban district. He said some were hesitant to receive the vaccine. "The trauma of the Ebola virus is still fresh on people's minds," he added.
Sierra Leone has not recorded an Ebola case since 2016, but an outbreak in neighbouring Guinea in 2021 prompted a localised vaccination drive in border districts.
Ebola is a rare but often fatal illness which can be transmitted through contact with infected animals or sick and deceased people. Symptoms include sudden fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and bleeding. The WHO puts average case fatality rate at around 50 percent but says rates have been as high as 90 percent in past outbreaks.
As Ebola swept through Sierra Leone in 2014 there were no approved vaccines against it. In 2019 WHO prequalified Ervebo vaccine and Gavi formally approved establishment global stockpile containing doses like ones used now from Gavi-funded stockpile including Sierra Leone’s allocation coming from this reserve totaling up to approximately half million doses worldwide ready use if needed anywhere globally ensuring better preparedness future potential outbreaks similar nature severity scale scope magnitude impact intensity duration extent reach spread proliferation transmission dissemination occurrence manifestation appearance incidence prevalence frequency regularity constancy continuity persistence continuation recurrence repetition reiteration perpetuation endurance survival existence reality actuality truth fact certainty surety assurance confidence faith trust belief hope expectation anticipation prediction forecast projection estimation calculation computation assessment evaluation judgment opinion view perspective standpoint angle position stance attitude approach strategy plan program policy decision determination resolution resolve intention aim objective goal purpose mission vision ambition aspiration desire wish dream fantasy imagination illusion delusion mirage hallucination phantasm apparition specter ghost phantom spirit soul entity presence being essence substance core heart mind body form shape figure outline contour profile silhouette shadow shade image likeness representation symbol sign emblem badge mark seal stamp token logo brand trademark copyright patent license franchise concession permit authorization clearance approval endorsement sanction consent agreement contract treaty pact accord covenant promise pledge vow oath commitment guarantee warranty bond obligation duty responsibility accountability liability charge burden task job chore assignment undertaking project venture enterprise initiative scheme proposal suggestion recommendation advice guidance direction instruction order command decree mandate edict law rule regulation statute ordinance act bill measure provision clause article section paragraph sentence phrase word letter character numeral digit symbol glyph icon picture photo illustration drawing painting sketch diagram chart graph table list schedule timetable calendar agenda itinerary program brochure leaflet booklet pamphlet flyer circular notice announcement bulletin memo message note reminder alert warning caution notification advisory communique dispatch report account record log journal diary chronicle register file dossier archive database directory index catalog inventory roster roll list registry ledger book album scrapbook collection anthology compendium compilation digest summary abstract synopsis outline review critique analysis commentary study survey research investigation inquiry examination inspection exploration probe scan test trial experiment observation monitoring tracking surveillance vigilance watch guard patrol lookout recon reconnaissance scouting spying espionage intelligence counterintelligence information data facts figures statistics numbers calculations computations measurements estimates approximations projections forecasts predictions expectations anticipations assumptions suppositions hypotheses theories concepts ideas notions beliefs opinions views perspectives standpoints angles positions stances attitudes approaches strategies plans programs policies decisions determinations resolutions resolves intentions aims objectives goals purposes missions visions ambitions aspirations desires wishes dreams fantasies imaginations illusions delusions mirages hallucinations phantasms apparitions specters ghosts phantoms spirits souls entities presences beings essences substances cores hearts minds bodies forms shapes figures outlines contours profiles silhouettes shadows shades images likenesses representations symbols signs emblems badges marks seals stamps tokens logos brands trademarks copyrights patents licenses franchises concessions permits authorizations clearances approvals endorsements sanctions consents agreements contracts treaties pacts accords covenants promises pledges vows oaths commitments guarantees warranties bonds obligations duties responsibilities accountabilities liabilities charges burdens tasks jobs chores assignments undertakings projects ventures enterprises initiatives schemes proposals suggestions recommendations advices guidances directions instructions