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Review on the UK Ebola Response in Sierra Leone
Financer:
DFID
Country:
Sierra Leone
Field of Expertise:
Health Service Delivery; Communicable diseases (CD); Infectious diseases / epidemic / outbreak / vaccination
Narrative description of project:
The Ebola epidemic of 2014–2016 in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone caught the world off-guard. The affected countries did not initially adapt standard response procedures that could have rapidly contained the epidemic, or multiple series of Ebola epidemics. This initial failure to contain the epidemic arose from the weakness of all aspects of the health systems in the three countries and from a failure on the part of the international health players, and in particular the WHO, to support the governments with effective measures.
The UK Government was requested in late August by the UN and the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) to lead a response to bring the situation under control. Following the request, the UK Government prepared and delivered an unprecedented response, led in Sierra Leone principally by the DFID, with the fullest involvement and cooperation of other key government departments. A regional response was also led by DFID to support humanitarian agencies and governments across West Africa and further afield.
This review examines the UK Government response to Ebola in Sierra Leone and West Africa. The review was commissioned by DFID, with oversight of the Cabinet Office.
