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.
- THE LOW BED OCCUPANCY AND THE SLOW PACE OF SCALING UP ADMISSIONS
- 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