Freetown, Sierra Leone – Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has officially sent off a team of 20 medical professionals to Rwanda as part of Sierra Leone’s efforts to assist in combating the Marburg virus outbreak.
The team, led by Professor Foday Sahr, Executive Director of the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), is tasked with providing essential training, resources, and care to help control the spread of the deadly virus.
This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Government of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the NPHA, underscoring Sierra Leone’s dedication to global health security.
The Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease from the same family as Ebola, was first identified in 1967 and has caused periodic outbreaks, particularly in Africa. The current outbreak in Rwanda has raised significant concerns due to the virus’s high fatality rate and its potential to spread quickly in densely populated areas.
Rwanda said on Sunday it had begun administering vaccine doses against the Marburg virus to try to combat an outbreak of the Ebola-like disease in the east African country, where it has so far killed 12 people.
The country has already received shipments of the vaccines including from the Sabin Vaccine Institute.
Rwanda’s first outbreak of the viral hemorrhagic fever was detected in late September, with 46 cases and 12 deaths reported since then. Marburg has a fatality rate as high as 88%.
Marburg symptoms include high fever, severe headaches and malaise within seven days of infection and later severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
The team from Sierra Leone is expected to contribute vital expertise in infection control, treatment, and prevention measures, drawing on the country’s experience in handling Ebola outbreaks. The Vice President extended his wishes for their success and safety during this critical mission.
