Author: Janet Howe

Sierra Leone begins house-to-house searches

The authorities want to ensure that anyone who may be displaying symptoms of Ebola comes forward for treatment

Sierra Leone has begun house-to-house searches in the capital Freetown to find hidden cases of Ebola.

President Ernest Bai Koroma said that Sunday trading would be banned and travel between districts restricted.

The president said that as Christmas approached, people would need to be reminded that Sierra Leona was at war with a “vicious enemy”.

Sierra Leone has overtaken Liberia to have the highest number of Ebola cases, World Health Organization figures show.

The virus has killed more than 6,800 people this year, mostly in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.

Sierra Leone has had more Ebola cases than any other country

In his statement, President Koroma said the searches aimed to “break the chain of transmission”.

He added: “Do not hide the sick.”

The president said that while many districts of the country had made progress in fighting Ebola, challenges still remained in the western part of the country, which for the past two weeks had accounted for 50% of new infections.

He said that he was introducing an action plan, Operation Western Area Surge, to encourage people to come forward if they had a fever or other symptoms of Ebola.

He said it was necessary to introduce such stringent measures even though it was the festive season – a time when people would normally “celebrate with their families in a joyous manner”.

The president also said that:

• Travel restrictions between districts would be enforced over the Christmas period
• Christians would be allowed to attend church services, but would be requested to return home immediately afterwards
• All New Year’s Day festivities including church services and outings would be prohibited or severely restricted
• In addition to the blanket Sunday trading ban, the new measures would include time restrictions on Saturday and weekday shopping.

The prevalence of the virus in the capital Freetown is thought to be one of the reasons why Ebola is spreading so fast in the west.

Our correspondent in Sierra Leone, Umaru Fofana, said the measures were partly aimed at controlling crowds.

He said people in Freetown continued to gather on the streets or go jogging along the beach despite the Ebola threat.

This is not the first time that Sierra Leone has used stringent tactics to locate Ebola sufferers, but none have stopped the rise in infections.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Tom Frieden told the AP news agency that “the fight is going to be long and hard to get to zero cases”, and is heavily contingent on sick individuals coming forward to be diagnosed.

From BBC News website

 

Urban = 1553   Rural = 947

Port Loko over 1,000

Bombali is over   900

Tonkolili now at  400

 

15th Dec. Ebola Data:

Total Laboratory-confirmed Ebola Cases

= 6,702 as follows:

Western Urban    =  1,553, Western Rural     =     947

Port Loko        =  1,018, Bombali     =     909

Kailahun     =     565, Kenema     =     495

Tonkolili     =     400, Bo          =       297

Moyamba  =      173, Kono        =      124

Kambia      =        97, Koinadugu  =       89

Pujehun       =       31, Bonthe       =         4

The Newton Committee organised an Ebola Sensitization Workshop in Newton, attended by around 200 individuals.  The Western Area of Sierra Leone is still giving great cause for concern, whilst cases in the rest of the country are declining. This effort by the committee has been funded by contributions from supporters of the Olney-Newton Link and is much appreciated.

These pictures were sent by WhatsApp!

The UN Special Envoy on Ebola Dr. David Nabarro said today that the first area of concern was western Sierra Leone, in particular, the capital Freetown, and Port Loko, where there are high levels of transmission and “a much more intense response” is needed. 

He did say that some of the most experienced Ebola responders in the world were working in that area, together with UNMEER’s “Western Area Surge team,” the Government, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to ensure there were enough beds and burial teams. The UN envoy explained the logistical difficulty of staffing the Ebola treatment units with 300 beds that require some 300 people. The staff needed to change shifts every three to four hours because of the heat of the protective clothing, and each changeover was a dangerous moment, as was each interaction with patients, particularly with needles.

 

Mass Drug Administration Campaign Starts Today – Dec 5, 2014

The Mass Drug Administration Anti Malaria Campaign organized by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation National Malaria Control Programme is to kick start in Eight (8) Ebola affected districts in the country. The targeted districts include Bombali, Port Loko, Tonkolili, Koinadugu, Moyamba,Kambia, Western Urban and Rural.

Giving an overview of the Mass Drug Administration, the Programme Manager, Dr. Samuel Juana Smith, described fever as a cardinal symptom for malaria infection and also one of the cardinal symptoms of Ebola viral disease. He underscored the importance in making frantic efforts to reduce the incidence and prevalence of the malaria infection with a view to reducing the strain on the health system and allow what he referred to as the true cases of Ebola to be found and treated. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation and partners WHO, UNICEF, MSF in line with the above poised to undertake a mass distribution of the country’s first line anti-malarial ArtesunateAmodiaquine as a supplement to ongoing routine activities in Ebola hot spots, and areas where high incidence of Ebola Virus Disease cases have been reported.

The administration of the drug would be door-to-door, with Direct Observe Treatment (DOT) for first dose, and client would be educated and encouraged to comply with the treatment by taking the two subsequent doses on the two days following the administration of the first dose.

According to Dr. Smith, distribution would be accompanied with strict adherence to the “No Touch” policy, building on existing District Health Management Teams and Community Health Workers Network would be enforced. “Only antimalarial will be distributed to households over the period December 5-8, 2014, and lessons learned during the first cycle will guide the decision on whether any maternal child health interventions should be added to the second cycle”. Dr. Smith maintained.

“Incomplete households will be revisited by distribution team members to complete administration to any members missed in the initial visit”, he added.

The malaria prevention and control strategies aim to achieve three objectives:

•    Reduce malaria morbidity
•    Lower the number of febrile patients with malaria to “unload” Ebola assessment service
•    Increase the protection of front-line health workers engaged in the fight against these two deadly diseases.

The four expected benefits with ACT Mass Drug Administration:

–   Rapid reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality

–   Decreased incidence of febrile illnesses due to malaria, a reduced presentation of febrile patients at Ebola evaluation facilities, resulting in low risk of transmission of Ebola to malaria patients and lessened workload at these facilities

–  Improve the credibility of health service delivery, including community outreach and

–  The possible delivery in combination with other interventions.

Sierra Leone News : British Engineers Proudly Deliver By British Government through Joint Forces in Sierra Leone Dec 4, 2014

THE Royal Engineers who have deployed on Operation Gritrock in Sierra Leone are now into the final phase of their mission.

This week sees the final 5 British military built Ebola Treatment Centre sites transition into a completion and handover phase. The NGO end users have taken ownership of two ETC sites (Goderich and Hastings) over the weekend and the remaining three sites have handed partial occupancy to their respective NGO’s so that they may begin fitting out buildings.  The Goderich site is on the field of Bishop Jane Allen school where Claire Lintern [Mrs Tarawally] taught and close to where she now lives with Mahmoud.

The Royal Engineers from 62 Works Group Royal Engineers, comprising of 522 and 523 Specialist Teams and 34 Field Squadron deployed in late September to Sierra Leone as part of the UK’s response to assisting the government of Sierra Leone; their task was to erect Ebola Treatment Centres in 6 locations.

After a rapid planning and design process co-ordination teams were assigned to their sites.  The Royal Engineers supported by Sierra Leonean Armed Forces and Sierra Leonean tradesmen, set about construction with haste.

Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Hatcher, Officer Commanding 62 Works Group Royal Engineers said: “The tenacity and extraordinary dedication of the teams on the sites has meant that we have delivered facilities that would normally take 4 ½ month to build in just 42 days.”

Since being deployed the Engineers have adapted to the evolving situation in country constructing 6 new build Ebola Treatment Centres with a capacity of 600 beds and assisting in the development of a further 400 beds in community care centres. Lt. Col. Hatcher added: “These treatment centres will be at the frontline on the battle against the Ebola Virus Disease. My teams have worked closely with DfID and the NGO community to give them what they need and worked tirelessly, through the rain, mud and humidity, to complete each site in the shortest possible timeframe – I am immensely proud of what they have achieved”.

This is quarantine home in village named SONGO LOKO WARD 344 CONSTITUENCY 95 IN THE KOYARURL DISTRICT.  A woman was suspected to be infected with the virus was taken to an holding centre. The result comes out to be positive she had since been taken to a treatment centre.  The home is under quarantine with seven people in it. This fare away from Newton but in the same ward and constituency. My supervisor is on the bike and colleague contact tracer in yellow.  We just went there to get an over view of the situation. Please pray for the victim and the home. God bless you as you do.

Songo is about 5 miles East of the centre of Newton, bordering the Port Loko district.

GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

PRESS RELEASE

THE KERRY TOWN EBOLA TREATMENT CENTRE

 

THE KERRY TOWN EBOLA TREATMENT FACILITY IS THE BRAIN CHILD OF HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT, DR. ERNEST BAI KOROMA, TO PROVIDE QUALITY TREATMENT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL SIERRA LEONEANS AFFECTED BY THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE. IN PURSUANCE OF THIS OBJECTIVE, THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE COMMITTED FUNDS FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY WAS AT AN ADVANCED STAGE WITH FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK) REPRESENTED BY THE BRITISH DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID) APPROACHED THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE AND EXPRESSED ITS INTEREST AND DESIRE TO FURTHER SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE BY TAKING OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMPLETING AND OPERATIONALIZING THE FACILITY. IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS, AND THE JOINT DESIRE TO ADEQUATELY CATER FOR VICTIMS OF THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE (EVD), GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE ACCEPTED THE REQUEST FROM THE UK.

 

SHORTLY AFTER THE COMMISSIONING OF THE FACILITY, TWO ISSUES BECAME APPARENT AND A CAUSE FOR CONCERN BY THE PUBLIC.

1.   THE LOW BED OCCUPANCY AND THE SLOW PACE OF SCALING UP ADMISSIONS
2.   THE PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE UK WHICH HAS BEEN  INTERPRETED AS DESIGNED TO DENY SIERRA LEONEAN HEALTH WORKERS WORKING IN FACILITIES OTHER THAN THE BRITISH-FUNDED ONES FROM RECEIVING CARE IN THE SPECIAL 12-20 BED  FACILITY RESERVED FOR INFECTED HEALTH WORKERS.

 

THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION AS WELL AS THE UK PARTIES TAKE THESE CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC VERY SERIOUS. TO THIS END THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE HIGH LEVEL ENGAGEMENTS BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION (MOHS), THE NATIONAL EBOLA RESPONSE CENTRE (NERC), THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION, DFID, THE UK EBOLA ENVOY, AND SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL, THE AGENCY CONTRACTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE CLINICAL SERVICES AT THE 80 BED CENTRE.

 

THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION IS PLEASED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THESE CONSULTATIONS HAVE BEEN VERY CONSTRUCTIVE. ALL PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC AND ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THEM.

 

IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN AGREED UPON REGARDING THE KERRY TOWN EBOLA TREATMENT CENTRE:

1.THAT INFECTED HEALTH WORKERS FROM NON-UK SUPPORTED FACILITIES WOULD BE ADMITTED TO THE SPECIAL 12-20 BED TREATMENT UNIT.

2.THAT THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION AND DFID ARE WORKING    WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL TO SCALE UP ADMISSIONS TO FULL CAPACITY WITHIN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE  TIME

 

THE MINISTRY VIEW THESE DEVELOPMENTS AS A SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGH IN PROTECTING PUBLIC INTEREST AND URGE THE PUBLIC TO CONSIDER THE ABOVE UNDERTAKINGS BY ALL PARTIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY THE BRITISH IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE.

 

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SANITATION CONTINUES TO APPRECIATE THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OUR DOCTORS AND NURSES AND OTHER FRONT LINE WORKERS CONTINUE TO MAKE IN THESE TRYING TIMES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST EBOLA. AS SUCH THE GOVERNMENT RENEWS ITS UNFLINCHING COMMITMENT TO ALWAYS CATER FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THESE FRONT LINE WORKERS.

 

JONATHAN ABASS KAMARA

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION

DATED: 1ST DECEMBER, 2014