The Ministry of Health and Sanitation in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the donation of Ebola Disease Vaccines to Sierra Leone by the Pharmaceutical Company, Johnson & Johnson.
Initially, 640 doses of the vaccine was delivered via a special Johnson & Johnson corporate flight on Saturday April 10 and through a commercial flight on Sunday 11th April, 2021, delivering 3,840 doses of the same vaccine.
In view of the ongoing outbreak of Ebola in neighbouring Guinea, frontline healthcare workers in border districts are at risk of infection, should the Virus spill over to Sierra Leone. Therefore, they are the focus of this vaccination campaign.
It is important that the Vaccine has been given emergency use authorisation by the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone. It has been evaluated previously in Sierra Leone and shown to be safe and efficacious.
Because of broader use of the Vaccine this time, a team of experts will monitor all those vaccinated for any serious adverse effects.