It was difficult for T. Kelvin Nimely, a comedian popularly known as “Jabateh, The Most Civilized Kruman,” to be quarantined by the Ministry of Health authorities after test results showed he had contracted the Mpox infection.
He feared mistreatment, recalling stories of patient abandonment and isolation from the Ebola outbreak. Through counseling from the health care providers, he accepted their advice to quarantine and was discharged after spending ten days receiving treatment at the Starbase center.
“My message is to make people understand that this virus is real,” Nimely, who is a Brand Ambassador for Orange Liberia, said in a phone interview. Let everybody follow the preventive measure: wash your hands, stop shaking hands, and stay away from crowded places.”
Like many who seek treatment in silence for fear of stigma, Nimely came out publicly via his Facebook page, announcing to his followers and fans that he had contracted the virus while on a tour for Orange Liberia in Lofa County. Through the Facebook posts, he was contacted by the authorities of the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), which led to his being quarantined for ten days.
He thanked the doctors and nurses at the center for debunking his fears of abandonment and isolation. “The doctors who were where I was in the quarantine center were very unique. They encourage me. Everything I needed was provided at the health facilities that I needed. The bed in the hospital was decent; they provided food three to four times a day, and they provided juices and water for me,” he expressed gratitude.
According to him, before leaving the treatment, three tests were conducted, and the results showed that he was well. However, he says, he was advised by doctors to use a condom for three months to avoid infecting his partner.
Liberia is one of the African countries grappling with the mpox infection since it was declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) in August 2024 by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO). Sierra Leone, the country next door, is leading in total cases with 3,523 cases and 17 deaths, according to the Africa CDC Epidemiology dashboard , accounting for 0.38 percent of the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) reported in West Africa.
The dashboard shows that Liberia has a total of 136 confirmed cases, with zero deaths; however, the National Public Health Institute is reporting 63 active cases, 873 suspected cases received, 772 tested in the laboratory, 176 confirmed, and 104 cases recovered. These cases are from January 1, 2024, to June 5, 2025.
In Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has 17,681 confirmed cases and 1,601 deaths, accounting for 1.75 percent of CFR. Twenty-five of the fifty-four countries in Africa have reported an mpox case.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that can spread easily between people and from infected animals. It can spread through close contact such as touching, kissing or sex, as well as through contaminated materials like sheets, clothing and needles, according to WHO. Clade IIa and Clade IIb are in circulation in Liberia.
Liberia and other countries have received the mpox vaccine but are still requesting more as cases increase. The Africa CDC, which heavily depends on financial support from wealthier nations and organizations such as the U.S., the UK, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Mastercard Foundation, the European Union, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, says it is experiencing a shortage of vaccines due to the global aid dilemma.
Dr. Yap Boum II, Deputy Head of the Mpox Response, told journalists during a weekly online press briefing that there is an urgent need to provide vaccines for countries reporting a surge in mpox cases to scale up prevention and surveillance measures, but “the challenge is there is a global shortage of funds to mobilize vaccines,” while urging countries to do more with the few doses we have currently as we push to mobilize more doses.
Over ten thousand doses of the mpox vaccine were donated to Liberia from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, through the Africa CDC. Healthcare workers and those who came into close contact with affected persons are those eligible for the vaccine. The public and those who have not come in close contact with an affected person are advised to avoid close contact with individuals showing rashes or suspicious symptoms.
People are encouraged to wash their hands regularly or use hand sanitizers, practice safe sex, report any suspected infections, and seek immediate medical attention if rashes develop.
In a public health advisory, institutions including schools, places of worship, and businesses are encouraged to install handwashing stations and reduce large gatherings. The Ministry of Transport is also formulating specific regulations to prevent overcrowding in public transportation.
