Every Sierra Leone hospital must reserve two isolation beds
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Sierra Loaded
Every Sierra Leone hospital will have to provide at least two beds reserved for isolation to strengthen preparedness for a possible reappearance of Ebola. The measure announced on 11 November also calls for increased vigilance and better medical waste management, according to Sierra Leone’s Health Ministry.
The Sierra Leone government is asking every hospital in the country to have at least two dedicated isolation beds to be able to manage possible suspected cases of Ebola, the Health Ministry announced on Wednesday, 11 November 2026. Sulaiman Lakkoh, director of disease prevention and control, also called on health workers to remain vigilant towards patients showing symptoms compatible with the disease.
The Health Ministry considers infection prevention and control a persistent weakness, particularly in medical waste management. Sulaiman Lakkoh called for strict separation of medical and non-medical waste to reduce transmission risks. Private facilities also face difficulties accessing emergency services through the 117 number, especially at night, but the official said the national line remains operational.
The directive follows a national assessment of Ebola preparedness conducted in October. It identified gaps in hospital preparedness, ambulances and emergency coordination. Health Minister Austin Demby wants to raise the national level of preparedness from 51% in May to 83% in October, while considering the latter level insufficient for a disease as deadly as Ebola.
Mohamed Alex Vandi, deputy director of the National Public Health Agency, said authorities are strengthening surveillance and preventive measures to limit the different routes through which the virus could enter Sierra Leone, according to Sierra Loaded. The authorities also plan to integrate more private clinics into the national Ebola surveillance and response system.
