Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025228 (Poster 012) | Published: 25 Jul 2025
Christiana Monica Fortune1, Patrick Maada Bundu2, Mohamed salieu Bah2
1Integrated Health Program Administrative Unit, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra Leone
&Corresponding author: Christiana Monica Fortune, Integrated Health Program Administrative Unit, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra Leone Email: ramtulai@yahoo.com
Received: 11 Apr 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 25 Jul 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs)., Lassa Fever, Public Health Threat, West Africa, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Outbreak Control, Population Mobility, Collaborative Strategies, Surveillance, Healthcare Access, Regional Coordination, Disease Management, Preparedness Framework, Data Review, Epidemiological Insights, Operational Challenges, Health Security, Community Health Systems, Frontline Worker Protection
©Christiana Monica Fortune et al Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Christiana Monica Fortune et al Enhancing cross-country collaboration to strengthen outbreak control and healthcare systems for Lassa fever and other viral hemorrhagic fevers in Sierra Leone and neighbouring countries. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00156. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00156
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs), particularly Lassa fever, pose a significant public health threat in West Africa, especially in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and parts of Nigeria. Factors such as high population mobility, porous borders, and weak public health infrastructure complicate outbreak control. Despite regional frameworks for disease management, challenges like inadequate surveillance and poor healthcare access persist. Strengthening cross-border collaboration through joint planning and real-time information sharing is vital to mitigate VHF transmission. This study evaluates the importance of regional coordination and collaboration in enhancing preparedness for Lassa fever and other VHFs in Sierra Leone and neighbouring countries. It emphasises integrated strategies for more effective outbreak responses and aims to develop a sustainable framework to reduce VHF-related illness and death in the region.
A desk review of quantitative and qualitative data from 2023 to 2024 was conducted, including reports from the National EOC, WHO, and CDC. Interviews with health officials in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia provided insights into operational challenges and best practices, identifying trends and gaps in outbreak management.
In Sierra Leone, 702 VHF cases were reviewed, primarily in rural areas like Kenema District. Cases were nearly evenly distributed by gender, with significant impacts on children under five and vulnerable populations. In Guinea, most cases were concentrated in the Forest Region, with recurring seasonal outbreaks. Gaps included delayed detection and underreporting. In Liberia, the burden was significant in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties, with a high fatality rate and infections primarily in rural areas.
The findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced regional cooperation to address Lassa fever and other VHFs. Strengthening collaboration through harmonised surveillance, shared data, and joint responses can reduce disease transmission and mortality. A formalised cross-country preparedness mechanism will improve health security in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, with a focus on community health systems and frontline worker protection.
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