SIERRA LEONE'S RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: BUILDING ON LESSONS FROM EBOLA

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has put Sierra Leone's resiliency to the test and has become a crucial moment in assessing the country's capacity to handle emergencies. Previous experiences, such as the Ebola outbreak, have provided lessons for effective emergency management. Although Sierra Leone has made notable achievements, there are areas that require improvement to ensure a comprehensive response to the pandemic. This highlights the importance of tailored and situation-specific actions to address global health crises.

This communication evaluates Sierra Leone's emergency preparedness and identifies obstacles, such as healthcare infrastructure limitations, training shortages, unequal resource distribution, and insufficient community involvement. It emphasises the need to address these issues and presents extensive suggestions to enhance Sierra Leone's capacity to ensure the health and welfare of its population. The study concludes with specific recommendations for improving infrastructure, skills, community involvement, technological integration, and resource allocation. These efforts could strengthen Sierra Leone's COVID-19 response and establish a robust foundation for future health crises.