By Crispina Cummings
PRECON Food Management, a Dutch consultancy firm, has engaged wharf communities in the Western Area on how to dispel myths about the Ebola virus disease, which has killed more than 1,000 Sierra Leoneans since May.
The firm, which had signed a contract with the government for a certification project, was also in the country to meet the European Union market standards on export.
In a 2-day engagement meeting with the Shella Water in Goderich, Tamba Kula in Aberdeen, Portee, Rokupa, Tombo and Kent wharves last week, project manager, Jeffery Marcathy, told the six wharf communities that resigning to fate in the face of the present Ebola crisis could worsen the spread of the disease.
He said the belief that “Ebola can affect only those God has said would contract it was a misjudgment and should be ignored immediately”.
Marcathy said the fishing sector was at the heart of their project and that they would not want the communities to feel left out in the Ebola fight. He said the fishing communities were a great contributor towards revenue in the country’s economy, adding that it would be a huge blow if the virus was to heat those areas.
He pleaded with residents to make frequent hand washing a habit and not to harbor sick people in their homes. He encouraged them to make immediate reports about strangers to their community heads and be vigilant. He said the hands were the gateways to the bodies “and that is why everyone should endeavor to adhere to the hand washing rules.
He admonished community residents to desist from handling corpses for now, adding: “that should be left for the burial teams”.
The project manager called on community leaders to be vigilant and be watchful of their entry points, noting that those areas had numerous entry points. He revealed that the outreach would continue in Conakry-dee in Lungi, Port Loko, Kambia, Makeni, Magburka, Bo and Pujehun.
Principal fisheries officer, Kadie Jalloh, said the wharf communities were a great concern to the health ministry and warned inhabitants to get rid of the myth that washing or playing with salt water could prevent Ebola. She said the communities were slum areas and it would be a dreadful sight to see Ebola hit those areas.
“That is why we want you all to prevent your selves and be vigilant”.
Thanking the team for the gesture, Samuel Bangura, a harbor master at Tombo wharf, pleaded with his fellow fisher men and fish mongers to take and treat the sensitisation seriously and noted that it would be very grave if they allowed the virus to reach them.
© Politico 30/10/14
