"Sierra Leone has officially declared its Mpox outbreak over after recording 42 consecutive days with no new cases, meeting World Health Organisation standards for ending the outbreak. Footage filmed in Freetown on Saturday, shows the Mpox Survivors Association volunteer Ibrahim distributing awareness materials, Dr Abubakarr updating records at the FCC Mpox Centre, with empty treatment wards and corridors at the Freetown City Council Mpox Centre indicating an end to the outbreak. Many survivors continue to face stigma, job losses, and family rejection even after battling the disease. "We know it is hard, it's difficult, especially when it comes to stigma. And several Mpox survivors have lost their jobs, some of them have lost their marriages, some of them have dissociated from their families due to this Mpox," said Ibrahim Mohamed Kamara, an Mpox survivor and volunteer for the Sierra Leone Mpox Survivors Association. Health officials emphasised that strong public cooperation was essential to controlling the disease, after early periods marked by denial and misinformation. "One of the most difficult moments is when there was little knowledge of the Mpox amongst Sierra Leoneans, and especially when there was the height of denial," said Dr Abubakarr Jalloh, a clinician at Freetown City Council Mpox Centre. "Things that helped us achieve this moment that we are celebrating today is because there was a lot of public engagement, there was a lot of community engagement from the community leaders, the chief traditional healers, especially we are particularly targeted and educated on the signs and symptoms of Mpox," he added. Health authorities confirmed that all 16 districts are now free of active transmission, crediting strengthened surveillance, rapid response teams, and sustained community engagement for containing the virus. Despite the milestone, officials warn that the social scars of the outbreak persist. Since the first case was recorded in January 2025, the country confirmed 5,442 infections and 60 deaths, with young people accounting for most cases."