Protecting those who protect us: Ensuring vaccinations for health workers on the frontlines

Zawya

4 days ago

It happened in seconds. The doors of the health facility flew open. A young man was rushed in, barely breathing, his family screaming behind him. Blood was everywhere, on the floor, his clothes, the hands of those trying to steady him. And without hesitation, the health workers moved towards him instinctively. There were no questions asked, no moments wasted, just an instinctive rush to save a life, guided by their training and dedication.
Later, we learned it was a suicide attempt. He had ingested rat poison. But in that critical moment, nothing else mattered to the health workers fighting to stabilize him. There was no time to ask questions, assess risks, or think of their own safety.
As I stood there, watching, one thought wouldn't leave me: What if this had been something else? What if the blood, later discovered to be palm oil, carried something more? What if the man was unknowingly infected with mpox, or another infectious disease spreading quietly through communities?
This is the daily reality faced by health workers across Sierra Leone. They are the first to respond, the first to make contact, and the first to put themselves at risk, often without knowing what dangers they might encounter. When hesitation could lead to death, their instinct to save lives overrides every fear. They are the backbone of our health system, yet they remain dangerously exposed.
But who ensures their safety? In Sierra Leone, mpox is not a distant threat. Since the first case was reported earlier this year, the virus has spread to all 16 districts. Thousands have been infected. Health workers are on the frontlines, not only caring for known cases, but often unknowingly exposed to patients who may not yet show symptoms.
Mpox can spread through close skin to skin contact, bodily fluids, blood. The very acts of care, cleaning wounds, delivering babies, providing urgent treatment carry huge risks.
Dr. James Squire, the National Incident Manager, summed it up clearly: 'Our health workers are our greatest asset. If we lose them, we lose everything.'
We have lived this before, and the painful memory still lingers. During the Ebola crisis, several health workers died. The loss was catastrophic, not just for families and communities, but for the entire health system that was already so fragile. We cannot afford to allow history to repeat itself.
This time, we have a tool, we didn't have then: vaccines. In a remarkable show of solidarity, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a nation familiar with the challenges of mpox and Ebola outbreaks extended a helping hand. With the coordination and support of the World Health Organization (WHO), the DRC generously donated 75,000 doses of mpox vaccine to Sierra Leone.
Fatmata, a health worker at a district hospital, expressed it poignantly: 'We rush into danger without hesitation. But at the same time, we have loved ones waiting for us back home. We want to continue serving, but we also need to feel secure.'
When health workers are vaccinated, entire communities are safer. Economies thrive. And outbreaks are contained before they spiral. The ripple effect of protecting one health worker reaches far beyond the four walls of a health facility.
Now is the moment. Every health worker in Sierra Leone - nurse, doctor, cleaner, ambulance driver, laboratory technician - must be vaccinated. No one who steps into a space of care should be left unprotected.
Dr George Ameh, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone, emphasized: 'We are at a turning point. The vaccines have arrived. Now we must act. Every health worker vaccinated is one pillar strengthening the entire health system. This is one of the tools we have to halt the outbreak.'
The health workers who rushed toward that patient didn't stop to ask whether it was safe. They acted because that's what they do. They show up, every day, in every crisis. But showing up should not cost them their lives. This time, we have a chance to protect them before they pay that price.
In addition to pre-exposure vaccination against mpox and post exposure management, heath workers and all frontline workers should always observe strict infection prevention and control procedures and use personal protective equipment (PPEs) when handling suspected and confirmed patients.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization - Sierra Leone.