MOH Launches Crucial Monkey Pox Vaccination Drive as Confirmed Cases Spark Public Health Anxieties

Monrovia, Liberia: As a means of combating the rapid spread of monkeypox, the Ministry of Health has launched an emergency nationwide vaccination campaign, offering the Mpox vaccine free of charge to all citizens.

This latest move comes after the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) over the weekend confirmed four active cases of the contagious M-Pox virus across multiple counties.

By: Abraham Sylvester Panto

The outbreak, initially detected in early May, has since spread to Montserrado and two additional counties, prompting immediate and intensified surveillance, containment, and immunization operations.

“We are calling on all Liberians to report to the nearest health facility and get vaccinated,” the ministry declared in a public health alert issued Monday, May 19, 2025, stressing that mass immunization is the country’s most potent line of defense against further transmission.

According to the ministry, vaccinations are now actively being administered at key medical hubs, including the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center and Redemption Hospital, and at strategically identified clinics in high-risk zones.

Mpox, though rare, is a potentially deadly virus-related threat transmitted through close contact with infected persons or contaminated materials.

The virus presents with fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a visible rash—and while many recover, it can become severe or fatal in vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.

The ministry emphasized that the initiative is a rapid public health response, coordinated in collaboration with international health organizations to ensure swift, safe, and widespread vaccine distribution.

Alongside the clinical response, a nationwide public awareness campaign has been mobilized to educate communities about Mpox transmission, symptoms, and the life-saving importance of early vaccination.