By Kemo Cham
The Covid-19 pandemic worsened the condition of Sierra Leone by aggravating poverty in the country, a new report had revealed.
The report, which is the result of a survey conducted by the research firm SANUSI Research and Consulting, revealed, among others, that many Sierra Leoneans are “extremely” affected by the pandemic, that the affected communities are yet to receive assistance, and that unemployment due to COVID-19 grew high.
Eight in 10 Sierra Leoneans say they have lost income to the outbreak, the report, titled “Cost and impact of COVID-19 in Sierra Leone,” revealed.
Some 1,102 adults across the country’s 16 districts were sampled in the national survey that was conducted between September 1st and 15th, 2020. They were asked dozens of questions on their experience and perception of the outbreak.
Sierra Leoneans in Kailahun, Karene, Bombali, Falaba, Koinadugu and Western Urban were found to be more likely to report loss of income, it revealed.
“Four in 10 Sierra Leoneans say they are extremely affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. Kailahun, Karene, Falaba are the most affected districts. Moreover, men and those aged above sixty years are the most likely groups to describe themselves as extremely affected,” it further states.
It also notes an increase in unemployment, with nearly four in 10 Sierra Leoneans reporting that they had lost their jobs to the pandemic. A larger majority of those who report job loss were in the northern district of Karene and the southern district of Bo.
Yet seven in 10 Sierra Leoneans say they have not received assistance from government, organizations or individuals to help them deal with the impact of the pandemic.
“As we heard in the interviews, basic necessities such as food and medicine have largely not been supplied to communities across the country amid COVID-19,” said the authors of the report which was presented at a presser on Monday, October 19th, at Oscar’s Paradise, Lumley Beach Road.
On the good side, the survey revealed that public education on the pandemic is viewed by the people as good. It said that a “strong majority” of Sierra Leoneans said they were getting the information they needed to deal with the outbreak. Public awareness about the COVID-19 is found to be strongest among young people in Freetown, Kailahun, Kenema, Moyamba and Pujehun.
And also many Sierra Leoneans, nearly half of the respondents, perceive measures introduced to contain the viral disease as effective. This perception is widely-held among women.
In Kailahun, Kenema, Kambia, Karene and Moyamba the respondents viewed the measures as very effective.
There is also a high public satisfaction with the government’s efforts to contain the outbreak. This was particularly notable in the districts of Kailahun, Karene and Moyamba.
Other key findings in the report were that large majority of the general public said they had not come in contact with a person who tested positive for Covid-19, and that women were more likely to have contact with a person who tested positive for the virus than men. Sierra Leoneans living in Western Urban, Karene, Kenema and Kono were also more likely to come in contact with a person infected by the virus compared to other districts.
The authors also found out that there was a great knowledge of COVID-19 among Sierra Leoneans, with nearly six in 10 people saying that someone can have coronavirus and not feel or look sick. This perception is widely held among women than men. And the view is strongest in Freetown, Falaba, Tonkolili and Bonthe.
The SANU Research and Consulting is a relatively new firm established this year with the objective of investigating economic and social trends for clients in private businesses, the public sector, civil society, and media outlets.
The organization said its analyses of its maiden national survey data identified key points about public experience and perception of COVID-19 that should inform what to be done to minimize the cost, impact and frequency of future crises such as the Coronavirus outbreak.
Abu Bakarr Jalloh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SANUSI, said the key findings are the effect on the people and the inability of the authorities to respond to their needs, and he says for the pandemic to be arrested, this must be prioritized.
“It tells you that we lack resources to fight covid-19,” he told Politico in an interview.
He added: “The goal of the research is to minimize the cost and impact of future crises. This include diversification of the economy and the first recommendation is to promote the agriculture sector, to establish price information and to empower local business and leverage research education and data technology.”
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