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Sierra Leone

Map of Africa with Sierra Leone highlighted

Sierra Leone is a tropical country, with forested areas constituting 35 percent of land area. The agriculture sector is a major contributor to the nation’s economy, accounting for approximately 60 percent of gross domestic product.
 
Sierra Leone endured a civil war from 1991 to 2002, which destroyed public sector infrastructure and disrupted health services, and from 2014 to 2015, the country experienced an Ebola virus epidemic, resulting in nearly 4,000 deaths. This epidemic catalyzed multisectoral efforts to increase disease preparedness and response in Sierra Leone, and while there is still work to do, there has been significant progress in developing One Health capacities in recent years.
 
In Sierra Leone, STOP Spillover will seek to leverage current strengths, while also identifying and addressing gaps to help reduce the risk of viral spillover and spread.