31 December 2024

COVID-19 vaccines protecting lives in slum communities in Sierra Leone

Freetown, Sierra Leone, - The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees, and Sierra Leone was no exception. In 2021, the country reported over 7,000 confirmed cases and 125 deaths; a small number by global standards but devastating for a nation with a fragile healthcare system. In the crowded slums of Kroo ...
05 November 2024

UNICEF and partners integrate COVID-19 vaccines into routine health services

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, – On a busy morning at the St. Anthony Community Health Centre (CHC), Hannah Tommy, a resident of Freetown, arrives with a sense of relief and excitement—today, she’s here for her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As she walks into the immunization department, she’s welcomed by nurse Kad...
11 October 2024

Polio: Your questions answered

What is Polio?, Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, which mainly affects children under the age of 5. The virus can cause lifelong paralysis and, in severe cases, can be fatal. , How do children get infected with Polio?, Children can contract polio if they are not fully vaccinated . The...
10 July 2024

Mass distribution of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets to households in Sierra Leone

Karena, – As dusk was settling in, Adama Kargbo, a mother of five in Kaponkie village, Karena District, northern Sierra Leone, breastfed her six-month-old twin boys and later sang a lullaby to put them to bed. The twins, Alusine and Alhassan, and their mother were about to sleep under a long-lasting insecticide tr...
26 April 2024

Solar Refrigerators Boost Vaccination Services in Sierra Leone

Kapethe, — Amidst the gentle rustle of palm leaves and the distant calls of village life in lush Kapethe, health workers at the Maternal and Child Health Post (MCHP) are getting ready to provide lifesaving immunisation services. With the hum of new solar fridges, they're setting the stage for a brighter, healthier...
25 April 2024

Sierra Leone introduces malaria vaccine

PRESS RELEASE, Sierra Leone introduces malaria vaccine, Freetown –, On World Malaria Day, Sierra Leone officially launches the introduction and rollout of 550 000 RTS’S WHO vaccine procured by UNICEF with funding from GAVI, becoming the third country in 2024 to introduce this campaign after Cameroon and Burkina Fa...
17 April 2024

Integrating COVID-19 Vaccines into routine immunisation services

Kenema, — It is mid-morning in Kenema City, eastern Sierra Leone. The distant sounds of nature blend with the soft hum of motorbikes zipping through the streets, creating a calm but busy backdrop of locals going about their daily routines. With a determined stride, Yawah Sellu, a food vendor, leaves her food stal...
24 January 2024

Solar Refrigerators bridge the vaccination gap in Sierra Leone

Tombo, Sierra Leone, - In the busy coastal village of Tombo, where the rhythm of life often echoes the gentle lapping of the waves, a significant leap forward in healthcare is underway. A solar refrigerator is changing health service delivery, particularly in the vital field of vaccination. For years, the area str...
15 December 2023

Shipments to African countries, including Sierra Leone, herald final steps toward broader vaccination against malaria.

More than 550,000 doses of WHO-recommended RTS,S malaria vaccines procured by UNICEF with the support of Gavi, have arrived in Sierra Leone – a historic step towards broader vaccination against one of the deadliest diseases for African children., The Malaria burden is high in Sierra Leone as it accounts for over t...
21 September 2023

Surge campaigns increase the rates of COVID-19 vaccinations in Sierra Leone

Masama, – Mohamed Kamara, a Community Health Worker (CHW) in Masama village, Karena District, northern Sierra Leone, was sweating profusely after trekking for six miles to a neigbouring village to educate and raise awareness on the need for vaccination against COVID-19. That was just one of his routine trips to p...
31 August 2023

Community-Led Action boosts COVID-19 vaccination coverage in five districts in Sierra Leone

Makeni, – Osman Koroma and Agnes Kamara are two social mobilizers who are actively involved in a COVID-19 community vaccination initiative in their communities through the Community-Led Action (CLA) approach. They are on a mission to sensitize and raise awareness with local communities on the critical importance...
25 May 2023

Solar Powered Refrigerators Boost COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage

Freetown, – Isha Kanawah, a vaccination nurse at the Rokel Community Health Centre in rural Freetown has just returned from a COVID-19 Community Outreach Exercise to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19. It is a very hot and humid day in Sierra Leone. As she was unpacking the unused COVID-19 vaccines from ...