By Bampia James Bundu
Bombali District has finally got an Ebola treatment centre with a 100-bed facility. It was established by Addax Bio Energy Company which operates in the region.
Addax General Manager, Trevor Andres said the facility, which had been approved by the UN World Health Organisation and the ministry of health, cost them over $300,000. He said the centre had a transformer and electricity.
He said his company had already supported the fight against Ebola in the region and the country at large with over $ 1 million assuring they would continue to support government in its efforts to tackle the virus.
He said six of his staff had been infected by the disease of whom three died.
The district medical officer, Dr. Tom Sesay assured Addax and President Koroma that they would make good use of the facility, as they had conducted professional training for all health workers who he said were ready and determined to contain Ebola in their district by the end of November. "We don’t have plans to work in this facility for long, by November we hope to stop Ebola in the district," Dr Sesay assured.
Mayor of Makeni, Sunkari Kabba-Kamara commended Addax for not only supporting their district, but for showing “they are true friends who support others in their time of need.” She appealed to health workers to be more committed to their job as they now had their own treatment centre.
She assured that they would continue to sensitise their people on preventive measures and how to cut the chain of Ebola transmission.
Case Management Officer at the ministry of health, Alie Wurie said the fatality rate in the spread of Ebola had now reduced in the country. "It means we are at the crossroads of ending the virus attack," he said.
Commissioning the treatment centre, President Ernest Koroma urged traditional rulers and other local authorities to be more vigilant in their response to the disease. He implored doctors to do their best in treating Ebola cases, because they now had a treatment centre. He said that with the support of all stakeholders, Ebola could be a thing of the past. "I will continue to study the figures," he said.
© Politico 19/11/14
