VP Sam Sumana sensitizes Lumpa community on Ebola
Lumpa, July 24 (SLENA) – Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Ahaji Chief Sam-Sumana past Friday sensitized the people of Lumpa community in the Waterloo Rural District on the outbreak of the dreaded ebola.
Delivering the message following an invitation from the Imams of Sierra Leone Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Waterloo-Koya Branch, the Hon. Vice President described the disease as a group of virus that affects various organ in the body and that it is often accompanied by bleeding.
The early signs of the disease, the Vice President said, include unexpected fever, weakness, muscle pain, headaches and sore throat. These symptoms, he went on, can appear between two and to 21 days after contacting the infection and that the signs can be mistaken for malaria, typhoid fever, meningitis, among others.
Vice President Sam Sumana encouraged the people of Lumpa to desist from eating bats, monkeys, chimpanzees and left-over fruits from those animals in order for them not to be victims of the disease, adding that the disease can be spread from humans to humans through contact with bodily fluids containing the virus and objects contaminated with infected secretions such as sweat, blood, vomit, tears, saliva, urine, faeces, breast milk, etc.
He reiterated that the disease is real and that it is claiming innocent lives of loving Sierra Leoneans and admonished the people of the community to report Ebola cases to the nearest medical facility in order to prevent the disease from spreading.
He allayed their fears that the disease can be cured if an early sign of an infected person is reported to the medical authorities, adding that frantic efforts are ongoing to eradicate the disease from the country.
Addressing the concerns raised by the people, the Vice President asked for forgiveness from the people on behalf of his boss, His Excellency, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and the government for whatever mistake they might have done to that part of the community in the area of Hajj scholarship and other development issues as raised by the people. He said that the President’s effort in developing the country is for every Sierra Leonean, assuring them that he will convey their message to His Excellency on the issue of water and energy.
Earlier in his statement, Chief Alimamay Kabba II described the visit of the Vice President as a historic moment for the people of that community as Alhaji Chief Sam-Sumana was the first Vice President that has visited their community.
The Chief went on to describe the Vice President as humble and of noble character who is always willing to lend his ears to his peoples’ concerns and find ways of addressing those concerns. He thanked His Excellency for his innovative ideas that gave birth to the Agenda for Prosperity which implementation was successful and now the Agenda For Prosperity in which the President’s aim is for every Sierra Leonean to live above poverty level.
Outlining the community’s concerns, Chief Alimamy Kabba II said he has travelled to the South, East and Northern part of the country and that he has seen what the government has done for Imams in those part of the country by awarding them Hajj scholarships and the donation of Iftarr items during the Holy Month of Ramadan leaving out their community which is very close to the Urban area.
He went on to state that their community has no pipe burn water, electricity, but poor roads and that in terms of development their community iwa being left out.
He appealed to His Excellency, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma through his Vice to consider their community in the development drive by giving them pipe burn water, electricity, Hajj scholarships to Imams in that part of the country and the construction of good roads.
The youth Chairman, Alhassan Conteh appealed for employment and University scholarships for youths in his community adding that youths are the creative and dynamic force for development in a country.
The visit was climaxed by crowning of the Hon. Vice President as President of Imams of the Western Rural District while the presentation of gifts and certification ceremony formed part of the highlights.
Credit SLENA
By Alimatu Fofanah
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