Assessment of Slaughterhouse Facilities and Infection Control Practices in Sierra Leone

Lydia Bomwarah Sesay (School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana)
Unisa Sankoh (School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana)
Shiek Umaro Kamara (School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana)
William Tasiame (School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana)
Abdul Rahman Yakubu (Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana)
Prince Nana Takyi (Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana)
Benjamin Obukowho Emikpe (Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana)

Media Kedokteran Hewan
Vol. 37 No. 3 (2026): Media Kedokteran Hewan

Slaughterhouses play an important role in protecting public health by providing hygienic, safe, and zoonosis-free meat for human consumption. There are limited data on the state of slaughter facilities across Sierra Leone; therefore, there is a need to assess the state of slaughter facilities and infection control practices in the country to ensure meat safety. This cross-sectional study using a census sampling approach was conducted to assess 27 operational slaughter facilities in 10 districts of Sierra Leone between May and June 2025 using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from 27 livestock officers and facility personnel using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS. Basic infrastructure, such as animal holding pens (96.3%), stunning rooms (88.9%), evisceration and boning rooms (85.2%), and cold storage (88.9%), was absent in most facilities. Only 3.7% of respondents used personal protective equipment regularly, and hygiene standards were below satisfactory levels. This study highlights key infrastructural deficits and hygienic practices that, in combination, exacerbate the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Strengthening slaughterhouse infrastructure and enforcing veterinary public health legislation in Sierra Leone are necessary to safeguard both animal and human health.