Document Library

In early 2014, Sierra Leone experienced its worst outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) that killed 3,589 people. In the wake of this health emergency, the West African nation conducted its first Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to assess the country’s healthcare system and capacities for health security. The JEE’s results were then vital in shaping the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) for 2018-2022. Country-level healthcare officials and international and regional partners then used the WHO Benchmarks for IHR Capacities to help gauge their progress and to realize the NAPHS in Sierra Leone. A workshop was held by international partners and the healthcare ministry, department and agency officials in the country’s capital Freetown over five days in April 2019. Workshop discussions showed improvements in national legislative capacity, infectious diseases surveillance and risk communication. Building on this progress, Sierra Leone plans to expand its capacities for managing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic susceptibility and to strengthen basic infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.