Health Minister determined to kick cholera out of Salone

Freetown, August 21 (SLENA) – Health and Sanitation Minister, Zainab Hawa Bangura has advocated for more support for the immediate eradication of the growing increase in the cholera outbreak in the country.

Addressing health development partners and other stakeholders in the health sector at an emergency meeting held in the Ministry’s conference hall, Mrs. Bangura noted the tremendous efforts and collective approach to control and contain the spread of the disease and called for intensified action to address the situation.

She reiterated President Koroma’s appreciation of efforts made by partners, adding that her worries and concern is how to tackle the growing increase before the re-opening of schools.

Handling food, access to safe drinking water, hygiene and environmental sanitation, the Minister said, need combined efforts of local councils, line ministries and partners in meeting the challenges ahead.

She implored the meeting to also look at the long term approach as well as the need to scale up awareness through sensitization and health education.

Together, Mrs. Bangura went on, cholera would be kicked out of Sierra Leone.

The Director, Disease Prevention and Control, Dr. Amara Jambai described the meeting as time, taking into account the presence of the players involved and their participation, which he said would go a long way in containing the spread of the disease.

He commended the minister and the leadership of President Koroma and the partners for their timely and continued strides in addressing the situation.

Dr. Jambai advised communities to adhere to the sensitization messages and other health education and preventive measures that would help complement the efforts of the government and partners with a view to eliminating the disease in all affected and non-affected areas.

Contributions from partners, MSF, OXFAM, Sierra Leone Red Cross and others formed the high point of the meeting.

Meanwhile, a new Cholera Treatment Centre has been established at the 34 Hospital at Wilberforce to serve the community and its environs.

JAK/MOHS/SLENA

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