(New York, 7 November 2015) - Action Against Hunger joins the government of Sierra Leone and the international community in celebrating the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration that Sierra Leone is Ebola free. As of November 7, 2015, WHO Representative Dr. Anders Nordström confirmed that the country has reached the milestone of 42 days with no recorded cases: “The world had never faced an Ebola outbreak of this scale and magnitude, and the world has neither seen a nation mobilizing its people and resources as Sierra Leone did. The power of the people of Sierra Leone is the reason why we could put an end to this outbreak today.”

Sierra Leone documented its first Ebola virus disease case in May 2014, and since then, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation recorded a total of 8,704 people infected, 3,589 deaths (including 221 healthcare workers), and 4,051 survivors. The country will now transition to a 90-day period of heightened surveillance to prevent recurrence of the disease.

In total, across the region of West Africa, the outbreak has resulted in the deaths of 11,000 people, with Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone most severely affected. Liberia was declared Ebola free on September 3, 2015, but Guinea is still working to reach zero cases.

We have been operating in Sierra Leone since 1991 to reduce hunger and prevent and treat both acute and chronic undernutrition. Our longstanding local relationships and our presence on the ground allowed us to launch an immediate response to the Ebola outbreak in partnership with District Health Management teams and the Ministry of Health.

Our Ebola response efforts in Sierra Leone included public awareness campaigns to reduce the transmission and spread of the disease; water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to support quarantined homes, communities, and health facilities; training for healthcare workers on preventing and controlling infections; training and supporting case investigators and contact tracers; and interventions to support survivors with nutrition, psychosocial and livelihood support. We also responded to the Ebola crisis in Liberia. Our efforts continue in both Sierra Leone and Liberia to help communities achieve self-sufficiency by strengthening health systems, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, and improving food security and nutrition.

On this historic day, we salute the heroism of the people and government of Sierra Leone. We also urge our national and international partners to resist complacency and remain vigilant over the next 90 days of heightened surveillance until we truly reach and stay a resilient zero.