VICE President inspects Ebola centres in Kono
Kono, Jan. 20 (SLENA) – Vice President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Chief Sam-Sumana past Friday met with staff of the Kono District Ebola Response Centre at the former Diamond Stars Lodge in Koidu Town. (Photo: Vice President Sam-Sumana (second from left))
Addressing the staff, the Vice Present acknowledged their strides in the fight to exterminate the world’s deadliest disease, Ebola in the country in particular and the region as a whole.
He encouraged them to re-double their efforts in educating the people of Kono about the eminent dangers, signs and symptoms of the killer virus and that they should ensure that the people abide by the bye-laws lay down by the traditional rulers in the district.
The Vice President mentioned some of the challenges encountered by members of the Taskforce not only in Kono but in other parts of the country where people are still engaged in the habit of washing dead bodies. He called on the DERC staff nationwide not to concede to those challenges but stand firm to overcome them through collective efforts.
He said it is their responsibility as a government and DERC to give support, talk to the people, take the message down to the remote villages and ensure that the people abide by the bye-laws and also encouraged the sick to come out for early treatment in order to save their lives, their families, communities and the nation as a whole.
The instruments and support to end the virus, he said, are available and that all that is needed is to utilize them in order to achieve His Excellency’s relentless effort for a zero Ebola case in the country.
He said as the second gentle man of the country he is willing to work with staff of DERC to harmonize His Excellency President Koroma’s Social Mobilization drive nationwide.
In his welcome address earlier, Kono District Ebola Response Centre Coordinator, PC Saquee thanked the Vice President for his visit to the centre, adding that he is confident that the presence of the VP at the centre is a sign of motivation for his Staff.
He went on to state that as a son of the soil, he believed that Hon. VP Sam-Sumana can contribute immensely not only to the Kono Command centre but other command centres nationwide.
Updates were given from the various teams including Surveillance, Quarantined, Social Mobilization, security, burial, among other teams.
Concerns were raised on the issue of community leaders’ participations, disruption during burial processes, etc.
Meanwhile, the Hon. Vice President toured the Kono Ebola Lab, Holding and Treatment Centres in Kroma, Lousy city in Koidu Town.
He commended staff of the various centres for the individual and collective efforts in achieving a common goal in defeating the Ebola virus.
The Vice President expressed on behalf of His Excellency and government his appreciation, adding that they are satisfied with the support of the workers and other international partners who are in the front line of the battle.
At the lab Centre, the Lab technician briefed VP Sam-Sumana on the daily activities which among them, are the testing of sixty samples per day.
The Head of the Red Cross team at the Holding and Treatment Centres explained to the Vice President that the centres were built within three weeks and that since they commenced operations, they have admitted about eleven (11) patients and are expecting to discharge a ten (10) year old child who was severely ill when brought to the centre.
The Head of the Red Cross team concluded that she was amazed by the warm welcome she and her team received from the people of Kono.
Credit SLENA
Alimatu Fofanah
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