By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Director of Sierra Leone Prison Services, Sampha Bilo Kamara has disclosed that there has not been a single case of Ebola in all 17 correctional institutions across the country since the epidemic broke out in May.
He was speaking at the handling over ceremony of Ebola preventive materials from Prison Watch, a local non-governmental organisation in the country.
He said the prison service had been highly proactive to ensure that no case of the disease was recorded there.
Kamara assured that they would continue to be vigilant, especially with regards to incoming inmates, adding that they had been conducting temperature checks on all prisoners and ensuring that they washed their hands regularly.
“We have already set up isolation areas in all correctional institutions for new entrants coming from the courts and for our medical personnel who have been conducting regular temperature checks on all inmates”, Kamara explained. He said they would soon embark on Ebola prevention training for both staff and inmates.
He thanked the Prison Watch for their relentless support towards correctional institutions and assured that the items would be used for their intended purpose. He encouraged other NGOs to follow suit.
Director, Prison Watch Sierra Leone, said they would monitor the distribution of the items to ensure they reached the target beneficiaries across the country. Mambu Feika said they had already made provision for all 17 correctional centres and the three juvenile homes in the country.
The donated items included dozens of plastic buckets, cartoons of medicated soap and personal disinfectant, hand gloves, hand sanitisers, desktop computers for prison data management, food supplies for 100 family heads plus cash supplement of Le 315,000 per family.
(C) Politico 16/10/14
