Counting days to recovery, Yusuf opens up about his painful journey with mpox

When Yusuf Sesay first seen a uncommon itch around his genital bid, mpox wasn’t the first factor that came to thoughts. He figured it would correct be a gentle-weight an infection, something a quick pharmacy sprint may possibly fix. But within about a days, the discomfort spiralled into something tougher to ignore: fever, pounding headaches, and the extra or much less fatigue that made getting up and about somewhat advanced. 

Yet, he stored self-medicating, hoping it would leave.

“I turned into once embarrassed,” he says quietly. “I didn’t ponder it turned into once extreme firstly. Then I became scared.”

Yusuf is one of over 3,600 of us in Sierra Leone who beget tested obvious for mpox since the initiate of 2025. But numbers by myself don’t capture what or now not it’s admire to are living through it. The bodily danger, the emotional toll, the anguish of being judged. Sitting on a health center chair in a single of Freetown’s mpox treatment centres, he’s ready to share his story.

“It started with itching. Down there,” he says, now not making glimpse contact firstly. “I belief it turned into once correct a unheard of an infection. Something I may possibly deal with with meds from the pharmacy. However the symptoms didn’t stop. The itching obtained worse.”

“I turned into once scared,” he says, “and ashamed. I told the girl I slept with that she had given me something. She acknowledged it wasn’t from her. I didn’t know what to imagine. So I correct stored peaceable and and tried to fix it myself.”

By the point he arrived at the treatment centre, he turned into once exhausted, bodily, mentally, emotionally. The sores had worsened. He knew he necessary aid.

“I basically feel powerful better now,” he says. “The treatment is working. The medical examiners beget been unheard of. They respect and love us. They don’t ponder.”

There are four mpox treatment centres in Freetown. The centre where Yusuf is getting better is one of them and admire the others, it’s miles receiving support from the World Health Group, which has been working closely with the government of Sierra Leone since the outbreak began. “In stop collaboration with the Ministry of Health and companions, we are working to damage the chain of transmission and safeguard lives.” – Dr George Ameh, WHO Nation Representative.

WHO is serving to to fortify the mpox response, from turning in medical supplies and tools to offering technical steering and supporting neighborhood engagement. 

“We’re grateful to the medical examiners, who are taking factual care of us.”

He speaks evenly, overtly. No hesitation. He knows of us commence air peaceable doubt that mpox is real. Some ponder it’s a hoax. Whereas others imagine it handiest impacts a obvious class of of us.

“Let me bid you something,” Yusuf says, his whisper a little firmer now. “Mpox is real. I’ve lived it. I’m peaceable living it. Ought to you sight any signs, don’t wait. Don’t be admire me. Crawl to the health center early. It makes a mountainous distinction.”

Since January, Sierra Leone has reported bigger than 3,600 confirmed cases of mpox. And within the help of every number is any individual admire Yusuf, with a identical story.  

“Attach protected. Wash your hands. Guard yourself. Don’t be careless. What I am going through now… I may possibly beget shunned it if I had long previous to the health center earlier.”

All over WHO’s recent focus on over with to the centre, Yusuf didn’t hesitate to focus on to the team, where he shared his story, answered questions and warranted the team he’s ready to aid elevate awareness, so others don’t struggle during the identical factor.

“I desire to aid. Despite the incontrovertible fact that it’s correct talking to of us. If listening to my story helps one particular person defend protected, then it’s price it.”

In a time when stigma and misinformation can withhold of us from trying to in discovering care or talking up, Yusuf’s honesty is refreshing and can honest establish lives.