By Prince J Musa in Kenema
With the second outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in neighbouring Guinea, officials of the district health management team (DHMT) in Kenema, the district council and the German non-governmental organization Welthungerhife have visited areas in the Nomo and Tunkia chiefdoms close to the border with Guinea.
Addressing stakeholders and other people in both chiefdoms, Dr. Donald Grant, the district medical officer Kenema, said their mission was to confirm to them the discovery of Ebola in Guinea, and for them people to be vigilant in monitoring their surroundings.
He said they do not want to wait until cases begin to emerge within the Sierra Leone before going out to tell them about any outbreak, and mentioned how a single case of an infected person from across the border back in 2014 resulted in Sierra Leone becoming overwhelmed by the disease.
Dr. Grant stated that with coronavirus still in the country, stakeholders in the border areas are required to reactivate the by-laws for Ebola including the Covid-19 regulations and enforce them.
He explained the ministry of health and the district council are working with stakeholders in protecting the district, and called for the cooperation of the chiefdom authorities. He urged the chiefs in particular to monitor strangers coming to the communities and for precautionary measures be effected including notifying health workers about deaths and funerals.
Mohamed Sesay, Chairman, Kenema district council said his administration focuses more on preventive measures and that the central government is also making all efforts to prevent the spread of COVID -19 in the country. Sesay said the Ebola outbreak of 2014 left a lot of orphans and widows in Kenema that are in need of help and as a council they would not want any other catastrophe to occur.
Paramount Chief of Tunkia chiefdom Alhaji Amara Sama described the move as timely saying "Tunkia chiefdom did not record a single case of Ebola in 2014" and promised that as chiefdom authorities, they will activate and enforce all the regulations for both Ebola and Covid-19.
He said that the chiefdom needs support for its monitors and commended the security personnel for working with the local authorities in protecting the borders.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
