By Mohamed Kamara
As Mpox cases continue to emerge across Sierra Leone, concerned citizens are urging authorities to act with transparency and integrity in managing funds and resources allocated for the national response.
Drawing lessons from past health emergencies, citizens are calling on those entrusted with combating the Mpox outbreak to ensure that aid—whether from local, government, or international sources—is used strictly for the benefit of infected individuals and affected communities.
In a public appeal, several concerned citizens recalled how the Ebola and COVID-19 crises were marred by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. “During the Ebola outbreak, despite the tragic loss of thousands of lives, funds meant to support the response were looted,” a community member noted. “Some individuals, from civil society actors to politicians, were implicated in misappropriating these resources. Yet, rather than being held accountable, many were later appointed to ministerial and other high-level government positions.”
They further pointed out that similar scandals surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread reports of financial irregularities and misuse of emergency funds. “No real institutional mechanisms were enforced to recover the lost funds, and no significant dismissals took place,” they lamented.
Citizens now fear that the response to the emerging Mpox threat could follow the same corrupt trajectory if early safeguards are not implemented. While the scale of foreign aid and international involvement is still minimal, they believe it is critical for authorities to set a new standard of accountability from the outset.
“This is a chance to show that we’ve learned from the past,” one concerned citizen said. “The Mpox response must be different. It must be fair, honest, and focused solely on saving lives.”
