By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Sierra Leoneans living in the United Kingdom on Friday handed over a container loaded with medical equipment and food items to the Ministry of Health, as a way of supporting the government and the people of Sierra Leone in the fight against the Ebola epidemic.
With support from Phoenix Resource Centre in England, the Sierra Leone/Diaspora Response Task Force loaded the 20ft container with beds, mattresses, PPEs and other medical equipment plus. The package also includes a pallet with general food supplies for Ebola patients.
Handing over the container at the Central Medical Stores in Freetown, the UK Diaspora Head of Logistics, Francess Mbalu Conteh, explained that they as concerned Sierra Leoneans approached several organizations and companies in the UK, requesting assistance towards the present Ebola crisis in the country. She revealed that the donation would be the second one they had made to the country since the outbreak, the first having been airlifted from America sometime last month.
She said they did that because it was appropriate for them as “native Sierra Leoneans” to help their country, irrespective of which part of the world they found themselves at any point in time.
Noting that the Ebola war was deadlier than the civil war the country suffered not too long ago, Conteh said now was a very hard time for the country and everyone needed to come onboard and render a helping hand.
“During the civil war, we could know when the enemy was attacking. But in this one, no one knows who is a carrier of the virus,” the UK based Sierra Leonean stated.
Receiving the container, the health ministry’s director of drugs and medical supplies, Bassie Turay, noted that the gestures made by the Diaspora so far showed that there was still hope for Sierra Leone. He stated that the Ebola war was national and should be fought by every citizen, in and out of the country.
Turay also noted that the equipment would go a long way in the Ebola fight.
“We are still struggling but surely we will make it,” he stated.
He expressed hope that members of the Diaspora would continue to support the country, not only in times of crisis like the present one, but also in other areas that would put the country above other countries across the world.
© Politico 24/02/15
