Home Blog Page 1108

Healthcare Workers to Benefit from Government’s Incentive Packages

By Amin Kef Sesay

Government through the Ministry of Finance is set to provide over 100% of the COVID-19 compensation package demanded by medical doctors in Sierra Leone. This was disclosed after a meeting with medical doctors in Sierra Leone.

Jacob Jusu Saffa, Minister of Finance, intimated how Government will provide 105% of the demands made by the medical personnel in Sierra Leone. He made this statement on Tuesday 21st April, 2020 while signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone with the Sierra Leone Nurse Association (SLNA), Sierra Leone Association of Community Health Officers (SLACHO), and the Pharmaceutical Society of Sierra Leone.

With the MoU, Doctors, Nurses, CHOs, Pharmacists that are working in Treatment Centers, Isolation Centers and Laboratories are entitled to weekly Allowances of Le 1,000,000 each for twelve weeks commencing 1st April 2020, subject to review as may be necessary, whiles cleaners and drivers are getting Le 500,000 with similar conditions. This is in line with the recommendation made by the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association (SLMDA) of Le 1,000,000 weekly allowance.

“Healthcare workers shall be provided with a cash risk allowance in lieu of their P.A.Y.E. (Pay As You Earn) tax deductions for three (3) months commencing 1st April 2020, subject to review as may be necessary,”  the Finance Minister said. This he says is in line with the SLMDA request for an exemption of P.A.Y.E. tax for three months.

According to the Minister, Tax exemption can only be granted by Parliament, but as a responsible Government, they’ve decided to provide a cash risk allowance in lieu of their P.A.Y.E.

The Government will also provide food compensation of Le 60,000 for staff in treatment centers, Isolation centers and Laboratory for 84 days.

“In addition to a life insurance policy encompassing payment to next-of-kin, Government shall provide free tuition and other forms of educational support for a maximum of three (3) children, up to 1st-degree level, for any healthcare worker who loses his/her life in the discharge of their duties in the combating and treatment of persons infected with COVID-19,” he said.

The Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Alpha T. Wurie, said that the Government is desirous to ensure that frontline health workers are provided with the required incentives to facilitate their efforts and activities in the treatment and medical care of persons with the disease.

However, the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association (SLMDA) didn’t show up for the signing of the MoU. The Finance Minister stated that in a meeting held on Monday 20th April, 2020 at the Treasury Building, all parties consented to the MoU and promised to avail themselves for the signing on Tuesday afternoon, but representatives of SLMDA didn’t show up.

The representatives of the Sierra Leone Nurse Association (SLNA), Sierra Leone Association of Community Health Officers (SLACHO), and the Pharmaceutical Society of Sierra Leone commended the Government for the motivation provided and expressed their commitment to the fight against COVID-19.

Secretary-General of SLNA, Haurace Nyandamoh, expressed frustration with regards to the attitude of the SLMDA, noting that they (SLMDA) are pushing for a different MoU from what they agreed in the negotiation process.

“If the Government goes ahead and signs another MoU that is different from other healthcare workers, we will talk to our membership to down tools. Nurses comprise about 75 percent of the healthcare workforce and our job is riskier at this period,” he said.

During Good & Tough Moments, NP-SL Always Stands By the Side of Sierra Leoneans

National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited, NP (SL-Ltd).

By Amin Kef Sesay

Many have praised the National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) for holding the fort during these difficult moments when the Government and other relevant stakeholders are scaling up the fight against COVID-19. The shower of praises comes in the wake of the company’s demonstration of dogged fortitude in ensuring that all necessary arrangements are made to make possible the availability of petroleum products in the country.

At a crucial time like this when health workers are moving up and down doing contact tracing and administering treatments to those that have been proven positive, easily accessing fuel cannot be overemphasized as it is highly significant that they must be accessed without much hassle.

A prominent Social Commentator intimated that: “To see a pro-active petroleum business entity like NP-SL making frantic moves to ensure that fuel is available and at the same time donating a colossal amount of One Billion Leones towards the COVID-19 fight really shows that it is not only a truly indigenous company but a very patriotic one.”

According to what this medium gathered when it went out to sound the views of people about what NP-SL should be up to was that many highlighted that at this point in time we need all hands on deck to scale up the fight against the current world enemy No 1.

“Government and the informal sector should  put shoulders to the wheel by providing financial, material and moral support if only we are to have an upper hand against the dreadful enemy,” Chairlady of the Sani Abacha Traders Association expressed her view noting further that NP-SL has once more demonstrated that it is a true partner in development further enjoining other business entities not to panic by folding up their businesses but to be resilient in carrying out its operations as well as strictly adhering to the health preventive measures that have been put out by the Ministry of Health and its partners.

Economist Jacob Macauley suggested that to cushion the rippling economic effects that the outbreak of COVID-19 is causing to the country’s economy, it is but prudent for the Government to dish out stimulus packages which could help businesses that have been affected to keep on going.

“It could be in the best interest of the nation if the Government, through the Ministry of Finance, waive custom duties on essential commodities like petroleum products and even make available easy access to foreign exchange which certain business enterprises use in the importation of essential goods,” he further suggested.

Indeed, it is an indisputable fact that NP-SL Ltd is a prime mover of the country’s economy. The company, has over the years, been paying huge taxes to Government as it is within the Large Tax Payers bracket of the National Revenue Authority (NRA). These taxes paid are reserved in the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be utilized by the Government to fund the implementation of various development programmes. As far as investigation mounted proved, there has not been a single complaint of the company reneging in honouring its tax obligation, which some say is highly commendable.

To also demonstrate that it is indeed a 100% indigenous company, that means well for the people of this country, besides maximizing profits from sales, the Shareholders and Management of the company made it a laid down policy to give consideration first to Sierra Leoneans instead of foreign expatriates when it comes to employment opportunities. This has made it possible for indigenes, with the requisite qualifications and skills to gain employment in the company which in turn is helping greatly in reducing poverty and to take care of basic responsibility. From what was learnt NP-SL has indeed taken the lead in enhancing the country’s Local Content Policy which is in tandem with national growth.

This thriving business entity is better known for taking Customer Care to the highest pedestal in the country as it has been rolling out different strategies to give utmost satisfaction to its numerous customers right across the country. With modern calibrated pumping machines customers do get the exact quantity of petrol or diesel they purchase at Filling Stations which, according to some, is transparent and good in terms of fair transaction.

“I feel comfortable using NP Gas for cooking purpose as it is quite easy to handle and not harmful,” Mariatu Sawaneh, a housewife told our reporter adding that it is easy to refill as the gas could be easily secured from the company’s Filling Stations. Her  impression resonates with that of others that were interviewed with many recommending it as an efficient cooking gadget. NP Gas cookers are manufactured in different cylinder sizes and are very affordable.

NP Smart Card is the most convenient means or device of purchasing fuel at NP stations. This memory chip can be uploaded with money which in turn can be slotted in the calibrated machines and the required amount paid. It prevents individuals from moving around with large amount of money, especially on behalf of companies or corporate institutions just to purchase fuel. It can be used at any time of the day when the company is operating and has been rated as very accurate.

One of the yardsticks that could be used to measure the viability of any company is its growth rate. In this regard NP-SL stands tall as it has successfully opened branches in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia , Ivory Coast and The Gambia. These NP branches are really doing well within the realm of importing and marketing petroleum products and contributing positively towards the development of those nations.

It can be said with all amount of certainty that NP-SL Ltd is indeed a good development partner that is always willing and determined to stand by the side of Sierra Leoneans in good and bad times. The company is truly here to stay.

Chinese Govt. Beefs Up Salone’s Health System for the 3rd time since COVID-19 Outbreak

The high table and some of the donated items

Foday Moriba Conteh

A consignment of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and other medical items were donated on Tuesday 21st April 2020 by the Chinese Government, through its Embassy in Freetown to the National Emergency Response Center for the Corona Virus during a snap but impressive ceremony at the Government Medical Stores, Compound on New England Ville in Freetown.

The donated items included 10,000 medical masks, 2,000 N95 masks, 2,000 PPEs, 500 forehead thermometers, 2,000 medical goggles, 10,000 pairs of medical gloves, 10,000 pairs of medical shoe covers and 5 ventilators estimated at Le. 259,750.00.

The World Food Program (WFP) Country Office in Sierra Leone helped to transport the items from Ghana to Sierra Leone.

Dr. Amara Jambia, the Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation II, who chaired the ceremony, maintained that the donation is a ‘bumper harvest’ from the Chinese Government titled ‘China Aid for a Shared Feature,’ further underscoring  that the items came at a very crucial time to overcome the coronavirus pandemic and affirmed that the world would never be the same again.

He continued that China has always been with Sierra Leone, that the donation would raise the confidence level of healthcare workers and assured that the World Health Organization in Sierra Leone would ensure the technical aspects of the items are intact.

The World Health Organization Representative informed that the donation from China is a true spirit of friendship between the two countries, that his organization appreciates the Chinese Government, that he would ensure that the kits are in place further underscoring that no one person can do win the fight but through partnership adding that COVID-19 does not respect borders and observed that the health system in Africa is weak, the reason all must plan and work together to defeat the pandemic.

He continued that most of the COVID-19 cases in Sierra Leone were imported and appealed to all to continue to be focused.

The World Food Program (WFP) Country Representative, Dr. Housanie Tall, disclosed that the pandemic has had its toll on the country’s human resource capacity as well as food security, also assuring that with its rich experience, WFP stands ready to support the people of Sierra Leone and that the items would booster the capacity of Government to combat the pandemic by saving more lives.

The Chinese Ambassador in Sierra Leone, His Excellency Ambassador Hu Zhangliang disclosed that he highly appreciates the resilience and solidarity demonstrated by the Government and People of Sierra Leone during this difficult time underscoring that a fire brigade needs a fire engine, firemen go with extinguishers, expressing hope that the items would greatly help to strengthen the country’s capacity to defeat the pandemic adding that the donation is a genuine reflection of the sincere friendship between the two countries as well as China and Africa.

The Head of the National Emergency Response Center for the Corona Virus (NERC), retired Brigadier Kellie Conteh described the donation as a significant and wonderful gift and recalled the strong bond between China and the Ministry of Defence.

He reiterated that China has always stood by Sierra Leone in thick and thin, observed that Sierra Leone has limited resources and numerous challenges, that the Ministry of Health has given the vital role to the NERC to combat the pandemic that would soon be over pointing out that developed countries must come together to help the poor, also commending the WFP and WHO for their invaluable support to the country and appealed for post-corona virus support.

The Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Alpha T. Wurie, who received the items on behalf of Government, recalled that this is the third donation China has made to the country since the outbreak of the global pandemic citing the 40 KVA generator, PPEs and highlighted the country’s major strength of contact tracing stating that case management is also doing well.

He further informed that the 34 Military Hospital is leading in laboratory tests and that all the laboratories have Chinese experts but highlighted gaps in the availability of PPEs underscoring that there is no better friend than China and that he would soon again receive another consignment of medical equipment from the Chinese Government.

According to Dr. Alpha T. Wurie, Government has put in place a life insurance scheme for medical staffs who are leading the fight against the pandemic.

In his vote of thanks, the Chief Medical Officer, Rev. Canon Dr.  Thomas Samba, urged China not to be distracted by the negative propaganda from other countries with regards the pandemic concluding that UN Agencies have always supported Sierra Leone.

President Akinwunmi Adesina’s Transition to His Second Term Must Be Smooth to Deliver His Covid-19 Commitments to Africa

President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina

Monday, April 20, 2020

This article is intended to highlight the recent achievements of the African Development Bank under President Akinwunmi Adesina, underscore the need for a smooth Presidential re-election, and highlight the contributions of the Bank to COVID-19 containment efforts across Africa.

The current President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina is set for his re-election in May next month, during the 2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank, while many African countries will be struggling with containing the COVID-19 pandemic. The enormous achievements of President Adesina as Nigeria’s former Minister of Agriculture and his first term as President of the African Development Bank since 2015, have greatly contributed to the strategic repositioning of Africa in the global economy.

Besides maintaining the African Development Bank’s “AAA” credit rating and increasing the net operating income of the Bank by 50 percent, President Adesina has helped to mobilize US$ 80 billion of new investment capital to support countries in Africa. For example, through the establishment of the Africa Investment Forum, the African Development Bank and its partners intend to leverage approximately US$ 300 billion of new private capital in Africa over the next 8 years.

In October 2019, the African Development Bank successfully completed an unprecedented 125 percent General Capital Increase (GCI-7), increasing the authorized share capital of the Bank from US$ 93 billion to US$ 208 billion, the highest in the history of the Bank since its establishment in 1964. ADB’s concessional window, the African Development Fund (ADF) was also increased by 35 percent, making more funds available to support low-income countries and economies in transition.

As a result of these achievements, President Adesina received unanimous support and endorsement by all 55 Heads of State and Government for his second term as President of the African Development Bank. This unanimous endorsement demonstrates the level of support that President Adesina has by all African Heads of State across the entire continent.

Need for a Smooth Presidential Re-election and Transition

By virtue of its corporate governance structure, the African Development Bank cannot be held hostage by any single individual. When an Executive Director, who is expected to provide managerial oversight of the Bank, assists in the preparation of allegations of breaches of the Bank’s Code of Conduct by the Bank’s President, one begs the question of the extent of professional integrity of the Executive Director. Could it be true, that some Non-regional Executive Directors appointed to serve on ADB’s Board are often former finance executives deliberately sent on exile from the capitals of their countries of origin, for one reason or the other?

To date, there have been several calls for mediation between President Adesina and his critics, in the interest of a smooth re-election process and transition at the African Development Bank. The United States still remains the second largest shareholder of the African Development Bank and President Adesina continues to receive overwhelming support from US government agencies and institutional partnerships.

The African Development Bank: Post COVID-19

Amidst the struggle of the COVID-19 containment effort and the need for macroeconomic stabilization across Africa, President Adesina, has remained focused on providing the much needed assistance to regional member countries and designing innovative financial instruments to help countries with the greatest need during this difficult period.  The African Development Bank, as Africa’s premier financial institution, has maintained its record of good governance and delivering crisis response programs to countries with the greatest need in a timely manner.

Moving forward, we hope that President Adesina will get re-elected for his second term in view of the overwhelming support he is receiving from both regional and non-regional member countries.  His more recent achievements in relation to COVID-19 include the launch of the US$3 billion COVID-19 Social Bond on March 26, and the US$10 billion COVID-19 Response Facility announced on April 8.

As we brace ourselves up for the changes envisaged in the post COVID-19 global financial architecture, we hope that President Adesina’s transition to his second term would be smooth, to enable him to successfully deliver on his commitments to Africa and help the continent reposition itself in the new era.

We remain resolute in our unflinching support of President Adesina and trust that the global development community would join us in endorsing his second term as President of the African Development Bank.

—————————————————–

Dr. Patricia Laverley is the Deputy Minister of Finance of Sierra Leone.

 

COVID-19 Consumes life of Sierra Leonean Ambassador in New Jersey

Representative of the International Human Rights Commission,  Ambassador Foday Mansaray

By Amin Kef Sesay

A representative of the International Human Rights Commission,  Ambassador Foday Mansaray, is among the latest victims who died due to COVID-19 complications. Mansaray, of Franklin Township, Somerset County, was a representative of the International Human Rights Commission Relief Fund Trust and Deputy Foreign Minister and High Representative to the United Nations.

Few days ago, Phil Murphy announced that the State has registered 4,377 COVID-19-related deaths to date. Total State-wide cases have reached 88,806.

Foday Mansaray was among the latest victims who died due to COVID-19 complications, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday during his daily coronavirus press briefing.

“He was a strong advocate for his native Sierra Leone and especially for our State and our region’s Sierra Leonean and West African communities,” Murphy said. “He put his community before himself and was always thinking about how else he could help others.”

Murphy went on to describe Mansaray “as a kind and hard worker whose boundless energy and sense of humor spread to all who happened to be around him.”

According to the IHRC, Mansaray was first appointed by the Commission as Diplomatic Adviser in 2016. Since then, he has championed several initiatives, hosted and co-sponsored over sixty-five high level events at the United Nations, Geneva, Africa and Caribbean Islands.

Over the last quarter of a century, according to the IHRC, Mansaray had been involved in extensive community initiatives and human rights, and was an expert adviser on sustainable development projects in Africa and Caribbean. He was a strong advocate for his native Sierra Leone.

Tribute to Music Icon, Abou Whyte

Abou Whyte, a veteran Sierra Leonean musical icon, entertainer, and artist passed away at the age of 76

By Aroun Rashid Deen

 Abou Whyte was an exceptional gentleman, a doyen to all in every organization or community of people to which he belonged. The remains of a Sierra Leonean music and entertainment maestro, Abou Whyte, who passed away on Sunday, April 12, in the United States, have been buried at the Oaklawn Memorial Park Cemetery in South Brunswick, NJ.

The veteran musical icon, entertainer, and artist hailed from Fourah Bay and Foula Tong in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He died in New Jersey, where he resided for decades, at the age of 76.

Thousands of mourners from around the world listened to the funeral event organized by Da’awatu Islamia, the Muslim Jamaat in the city of Somerset to which Whyte belonged, conducted online via Mixlr radio. Mourners also called to express their condolences.

Limited family members and friends attended the funeral on Tuesday, April 14, due to restrictions on public gatherings amid the COVID-19 crisis.

In his eulogy, Imam Alhaji Sheikh Ibrahim Conteh said the passing of Abou Whyte “was another stark reminder that death is inevitable for every human being.”  Whyte’s unexpected death came as shocking news to many who knew him, including his fans and admirers around the world across all walks of life and all ages.

His production manager and business partner, New Jersey businessman Busairi Savage, described Abou Whyte as the most courageous, disciplined, and humbled person he had ever known. “He was also a very reliable person,” he said.

Abou Whyte is best known for his signature tune, “Good Morning Sierra Leone Good Afternoon Freetown.” Abou Whyte, aka Bra Abou, stepped into the limelight in the early 60s when he joined the popular Bolton Wanderers FC of Freetown as a goalkeeper, and later, a left-out striker, under British military-trainer-turned-coach Captain Dick Fairweather.

His short-lived football career ended when he switched over to music, first with Merry-Go Jazz, then Okes-Muyei, and then Muyei Power dance bands, performing the roles of songwriter, composer, singer, drummer, and percussionist. His signature tune, “Good Morning Sierra Leone, Good Afternoon Freetown,” still soothe hearts and elevates memories.

Abou Whyte was a man of many talents. He was a painter, sculptor, and the chief designer and builder of the then Vimto Lantern in Central Freetown, leading Vimto to win many awards at the Annual end-of-Ramadan Lantern Parade.

Abou Whyte was also a culture-minded man. He participated and promoted many cultural activities in and outside of Sierra Leone.

Alhaji Sallieu Wagon Kamara, Imam of New York’s Jamiatul Islamia Mosque, was a childhood friend of Whyte and remembered him as a man who lived a fulfilled life. “Abou would go all out to keep us, his friends, together. He would put everyone’s interest first.”   Another childhood friend and cousin, Alhaji Ahmad Shamsu Deen-Cole of New Jersey, described Whyte as a critical thinker, master craftsman, and a courageous man with many talents.

His music colleagues nicknamed him Billy Whyte after Massachusetts country music star Billy Whyte, whose 1973 album, Cold Sunshine, was a hit.

I still recall my first face to face encounter with the late musician. Our meeting was characterized by his usual embrace and his cool, welcoming smile, a smile that defined his whole life.

Veteran broadcast journalist Cyril Jixon Smith of SLBS/SLBC, who also lived in the same Foula Tong vicinity as Abou Whyte, remembers him as always having “a cool, composed smile.” A composed smile that will be missed forever. Abou Whyte was an exceptional gentleman, a doyen to all in every organization or community of people to which he belonged.

If ever there is any such thing in the afterworld, one would imagine the kind of warm embrace at the gate of Heaven that would welcome Abou Whyte by so many who had proceeded him, including his daughter, Humu Whyte Savage, and younger brother, Abdul Fatta (Biggy Joe) Rahman.

Community organizer Alhaji Alieru Bakarr, also of New Jersey, described Whyte’s death as a blow to the Sierra Leonean community, particularly that of New Jersey. Whyte is survived by his wife, Salamatu Boi Whyte, six children, and a sister, Madina Rahman Taylor, and several family members and friends at home and abroad. May his soul rest in peace.

$200M Appeal Launched by Idris & Sabrina Elba

Idris & Sabrina Elba

Amin Kef Sesay

Idris and Sabrina Dhowre Elba, who are recovering from mild cases of COVID-19, helped launch a new global coronavirus relief fund on behalf of the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) designed to lessen economic shocks caused by the pandemic.

With $40M in seed money from IFAD, the multi-donor COVID-19 fund aims to raise an additional $200M from Governments, Foundations and the private sector to ease the impact of COVID-19 on rural small-scale farmers and producers.

The fund seeks to help them continue to grow their crops, keep their businesses open and maintain access to financial services and markets as their countries deal with lockdowns and movements are restricted.

Elba said that despite experiencing mild symptoms he and his wife had their world “turned around” after contracting the disease, calling the experience “definitely scary and unsettling and nervous.” The Elbas, designated as UN Goodwill Ambassadors for IFAD, visited IFAD-supported projects in rural Sierra Leone in December.

Actor Elba said, “The world’s advanced economies are in the midst of this pandemic right now and, of course, they must do everything they can to help their own people. Every death is one death too many at a time like this. But the fact is, global action is also a matter of self-interest. As long as the pandemic is still raging anywhere, it will pose a threat everywhere. IFAD needs more assistance to carry on the work that is desperately needed to keep food systems operating in rural areas if we are to come out of this crisis together and avoid needless hunger and suffering.”

Speaking about their trip, model Sabrina Dhowre Elba added, “This crisis has shown us we are only as safe as our most vulnerable people. It is in all our interests to keep local food systems going, protect rural communities and mitigate a health crisis as people who lose their jobs in the city head back to rural areas. The IFAD-run projects we saw in Sierra Leone give us hope that, with the right assistance, vulnerable rural people worldwide will be able to get through this difficult time.”

Scale Up Quarantine Measures & Discharge Criteria for Recovered Individuals with Covid-19

Dr. Manal Ghazzawi

By Dr. Manal Ghazzawi

Before launching into the subject ahead, I would like to state clearly that I speak from the perspective of an industry professional and only state facts in this article with the aim of achieving one objective, which is the wellbeing of our people and our nation. I would like to commend all stakeholders for their preparedness and response in the fight against this mysterious virus. However, more need to be done, as even the best health care systems in the world are overwhelmed with the management of Covid-19 cases, and many lives have been lost.

We all know the steps the MOHS have taken to quarantine individuals, however if not implemented properly, it may also create additional sources of contamination and dissemination of Covid-19 in the future. I want to focus in particular on quarantine procedures that should be followed in cases of community transmission of the virus after contact tracing. I am particularly concerned about future quarantine measures of communities.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), and before implementing quarantine, countries should properly communicate and socialize such quarantine measures to the general public, in order to reduce panic and improve compliance:

  • Authorities must provide clear, up-to-date, transparent and consistent guidelines, and reliable information about quarantine measures. Also taking into consideration all types of living conditions including informal settlements.
  • Constructive engagement with communities is essential if quarantine measures are to be accepted.
  • Persons who are quarantined need to be provided with health care, financial, social and psychosocial support, basic needs and other essential requirements. The needs of vulnerable populations should be prioritized
  • Cultural, geographic and economic factors affect the effectiveness of quarantine. Rapid assessment of the local context should evaluate both the drivers of success and the potential barriers to quarantine and inform the design of the most appropriate and culturally accepted measures.

Social media have been awash with videos of several challenges faced by the first batch that was quarantined. Being in quarantine, though necessary, is in itself quite difficult, especially for the old, the sick, those living in informal settlements and otherwise vulnerable groups. The following recommendations help alleviate their situation and protect our nation:

  • Initially, proper communication with regards to rights of these individuals; provisions that will be made available to them; how long they will need to stay; what will happen if they get sick; contact information of their local embassy or consular support (for foreigners) must be done.
  • Education on physical distancing within quarantine facilities should be emphasized which is the main reason why quarantined individuals infect each other.
  • Dedicated logistics teams with the appropriate knowledge and skills must segregate and coordinate quarantined individuals and avoid over-crowding in vehicles used to transport them. If quarantined individuals are all packed in one vehicle there is high risk of transmission of the virus to uninfected individuals. That was the case among those quarantined when arriving from abroad.
  • Experienced health personnel with the right communication skills should visit quarantine centers at least twice daily to answer questions and render psychosocial support to quarantined people. Apparently the MOH is doing so but from what I understand, not much service is actually rendered.
  • Special considerations should be given to older individuals and individuals with co-morbid conditions who are at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease. Elderly quarantined people need mobility support and there is a chance of them running out of essential drugs to manage their chronic disease.
  • An in-house trained nurse should be available to render support in case of an emergency to elderly with comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension.
  • TRAINED Mental Health nurses are to visit these facilities every day, but sadly enough we don’t have enough in the country. The few that we have are overwhelmed with psychiatric issues from our substance abuse epidemic and other traumas. Because of this shortfall health care workers or social workers should be trained to offer psychosocial support to make quarantined individuals feel much better mentally and emotionally.
  • Members of staff working in these hotels should have be trained on infection control and prevention (IPC) to ensure that the environments are being kept clean and they follow disinfecting procedures.

We are seeing infections with SARS Cov-2 among quarantined individuals because quarantine measures have not been properly put in place, best practice of IPC measures were not being implemented. It is worrisome that quarantine measures were only implemented later after many individuals had already arrived from Europe and other countries that are heavily affected. The 13th Covid-19 case that was hospitalized on the 15th of April, arrived on the 13th of March before quarantine measures were implemented; hence doing contact tracing with all individuals case 13 have come in contact with after all this while becomes a big dilemma.

Community transmission will emerge very soon and most likely with exponential increase and we do not have the capacity to test them all. More the reason why we all need to take precautionary measures, these contacts being silent carriers of the virus are spread everywhere and not all of them can 100% be traced and tested. Covid-19 is an imported disease among the affluent or those that are financially stable to travel, hence those that can for example afford to visit expensive restaurants are mostly the silent carriers infected possibly by those who arrived before quarantine measures were implemented.

With this in mind, I would suggest that Government closes all restaurants and bars in the country and allows for take away food only as many individuals are still visiting restaurants at the beaches and others. This will unfortunately affect employment and the country’s economy which is not  news to us as this is the inevitable happening globally to protect our nation.

Partial lockdown will create some impact, but it is not quite enough, sadly. Many Sierra Leoneans gather for transportation to get to their homes and physical distancing is not being adhered to. Lack of physical distancing gets worse when people are rushing to go home before the curfew. Market women gather in clusters to sell. This is just too overwhelming; I am afraid of what awaits us in this country. We are not to create panic, but from the way I see things, it is panic that will allow us to adhere to health regulations and comply to what Government advises us to do.

SARS-CoV-2 virus can initially be detected 1–2 days prior to symptom onset in upper respiratory tract samples; the virus can persist for 7–12 days in moderate cases and up to 2 weeks in severe cases (WHO mission to China Report). In faeces, viral RNA (genetic component of the virus) has been detected in up to 30% of patients from day 5 after onset and up to 4 to 5 weeks in moderate cases. The significance of faecal viral shedding for transmission still must be clarified.

The public have been asking how come there are no recovered patients yet among those infected with SARS Cov-2. Many discharge guidelines have been produced from re-known health institutions. For example, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention days patients meeting the following criteria can be discharged:

  • Afebrile (i.e. having no fever) for >3 days,
  • Improved respiratory symptoms i.e. no coughing or signs of pneumonia
  • Normal lung imaging with no signs of inflammation
  • Negative test for the virus in respiratory samples twice consecutively (sampling interval ≥ 24 hours).

After discharge, patients are recommended to continue 14 days of isolation management and health monitoring, wear a mask, live in a single room with good ventilation, reduce close contact with family members, eat separately, keep hands clean and avoid outdoor activities.

It is recommended that discharged patients should have follow-up visits after 2 and 4 weeks. The above are what clinicians treating Covid-19 patients do before discharging any infected individual and this might answer the question why there are no recovered patients released as yet.

On this note I suggest we show appreciation to all front-line workers in the fight against this disease, they are working very hard to bring this to an end. The Government needs to motivate them all, especially the nurses who are volunteers and at times spend sleepless nights in hospitals.

There is a bit of a catch here. Normally, when we are infected with a microbe the body mounts an immune response and develops memory cells that will fight against that infection when it comes back. In the case of an infection with SARS CoV-2, scientists have realized that some recovered individuals have developed high immunity against the virus and some have not. Up to 111 of recovered cases have been readmitted in South Korea after testing positive again for the virus. This might not be as a result of reinfection but due to lingering effects of the virus i.e. possibly reactivation where it was not cleared initially in the body or tests were not able to detect the virus for a period of time.

However, it is also known that after viral infections, the genetic material of the virus persists which can create a positive test even though patients might be asymptomatic. The next question here will be, do recovered patients have the tendency to spread infection? The answer is, there is a possibility of a recovered person not being infectious i.e. spread the infection despite testing positive, however researchers are not sure if there is a possibility of a rebound infection or re-infection. Conclusive evidence about sufficient immune response is yet to be verified to prevent resurgence of the pandemic.

WHO noted that more than 300,000 of the 2 million coronavirus cases across the world have recovered but scientists are yet to understand antibody response, and whether there is immunity to the infection and for how long. Until we have clarity on this aspect, we cannot lift restriction bans or life cannot go back to normal where physical distancing is not maintained. This is telling us that this virus remains a mystery to all of us hence we should continue to adhere to health regulations and seek proper health care if you notice you are sick. Scientists believe Covid-19 will continue to clatter across the world in waves, hitting the same countries multiple times.

This is also a call to action that we should persistently indulge in adoption of healthy lifestyle to continuously boost up our immune system and not wait till there is an outbreak of a disease. Among healthy lifestyle choices are; to eat healthy (make sure you eat fruits and vegetables every day); exercise at least 4 times per week; avoid or limit intake of alcohol and other practices that predisposes you to sexually transmitted disease or infectious diseases that will compromise your immune system.

We are all in this together, I strongly advice the elderly and especially those with diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, mothers with asthmatic children to be very extra cautious. STAY HOME PLEASE, only go out when it is really necessary. Also do not self-administer chloroquine, there are no conclusive evidence of its use for prevention and treatment of Covid-19. I particularly advice diabetic patients not to consume it as it has shown to cause severe hypoglycemia (reduced blood sugar level), this could be fatal especially among those taking hypoglycemic drugs. Chloroquine is also known to be toxic to the eyes and heart.

With Support from the EU… Health Reporters Benefit from Three Days Training

By Foday Moriba Conteh

From the 10th to the 12th April 2020 a training programme was conducted, targeting Health Reporters and one Health Communication Officer on Emergency Risk Communication during crisis and disease outbreaks. The training took place in Kenema District and was sponsored by the European Union (EU) with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GIZ) serving as implementing partner.

Dr. Amadou Traore, GIZ Technical Adviser for Regional Support to Pandemic Prevention Programs to ECOWAS, on behalf of GIZ, thanked participants for being part of the training.

He said the training is aimed at capacitating health reporters and one Health Communication Officer furthering how it was occurring against the backdrop of an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide that started in China in December last year, to sweep across all 5 continents in a space of few weeks, claiming thousands of deaths, shutting businesses down, causing precipitous economic decline and waves of social distress.

In such a context, he went on, Risk Communication is proven to play an important role in fostering community engagement and mobilization toward healthy behavioral and risk minimizing choices that will save lives.

He added that within the One Health Concept, journalists are better allies of Government in furthering Risk Communication activities; hence the support of GIZ to the training activity GIZ is doing in furtherance of its support to the Regional Pandemic Prevention Program (RPPP) in the ECOWAS region, with funding from BMZ and the European Union.

The RPPP program, he said ,focuses on 4 interventions areas:

  1. Communication on health risks and gender sensitivity in the ECOWAS region, within the one-health framework.
  2. Inter-institutional Communication and coordination among the ECOWAS Commission, specialized institutions, bodies and Member States in the fight against epidemics.
  3. HR capacity building in terms of PHE Prevention detection and or response within the ECOWAS region.
  4. Digital surveillance and outbreak management in Nigeria and Ghana.

According to Dr. Amadou Traore, in order to strengthen the knowledge and skills of ECOWAS One Health Sector professionals including journalists in these areas, two training programs pertaining to the main areas of the work of the RPPP were developed, namely emergency risk communication and inter-institutional communication and coordination.

As part of this strategy, a Training of Trainers (ToT) was organized by GFA Consulting Group on behalf of GIZ in collaboration with the Regional Institute of Public Health (IRSP). The aim of the ToT was to increase the pool of regional experts with the knowledge and skills needed to cascade these courses at ECOWAS member states level.

“This particular training will impart in you risk communication knowledge and skills as a result of which you will become better contributors to the Government of Sierra Leone’s efforts of responding to Public Health Events such as the current COVID19 Pandemic, the fight against which is a shared responsibility.”

Dr. Amadou also thanked the Sierra Leone Government, through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and all the MDAs, of the One Health referential for the appointment of participants who progressively continue to replicate the trainings in Sierra Leone.

He expressed hope that participants will seize the rare opportunity to acquire/improve their knowledge and skills in Risk Communication to be able to timely and effectively contribute to the containment of epidemics in Sierra Leone and in the ECOWAS region as a whole.

Emmanuel A.B. Turay, Acting Director, Ministry of Information and Communications spoke about the objectives of the training and said they consider the media as a key tool in the dissemination of information.

He emphasized that, Sierra Leone is not just fighting a pandemic but “infodemic” and called on all to come together as media practitioners to fight fake news (Infomedic).

He also urged Health Journalists to take the training serious and for it to serve as a training of trainers as they represent other media houses.

Victoria V. Bernard, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Eastern Regional Chairperson, said they were grateful to the Government and donors for the training. She pointed out that specialized trainings like those are welcomed.

While appealing to Journalists to take the training serious, she said misinformation was what they experienced during the Ebola epidemic but commended the moves so far taken by the Government through the Ministry of Information and Communications.

President Bio on 14 Days Self-Isolation

President Julius Maada Bio

By Amin Kef Sesay

It is now certain that President Julius Maada Bio has gone into a 14-day self-isolation after one of his bodyguards tested positive for Covid 19. In a brief address to the nation on 20th April 2020, he said the bodyguard had been in quarantine and eventually tested positive for the disease further highlighting how no member of his family is showing any symptoms of the disease.

“The EOC is testing all contacts of one of my security staff who had been in a14-day quarantine and has tested positive for #COVIDー19. My Government will continue to be transparent and urges citizens to protect themselves by following all hygiene and other protocols,” the President posted on Twitter.

“I have directed the military to immediately deploy to our international airport and land crossing points in order to enhance security and support compliance with all public health directives advisories,” he further told the nation.

Now that he has gone into self-isolation, the President is working from home.

Although the bodyguard of President Julius Maada Bio has tested positive for coronavirus, however, the President says he is in good health. He reiterated that all his family members are in good health and none had shown coronavirus symptoms.

Sierra Leone has to date confirmed 61 coronavirus cases with six recoveries and no deaths. April 22 is the 8th consecutive day Sierra Leone recorded 11 new cases.

With regards latest statistics : Western Urban has 43 Cases, Western Rural 8 cases, Tonkolili 1 case, Port Loko 6 cases and Kenema 3 totalling 61 overall infected cases. In terms of sex it is recorded that there are 33 female affected cases and 28 male affected cases.

President Maada Bio becomes the second known African leader to self-isolate, the first being Botswana President, Eric Masisi, who self-isolated after attending an inauguration ceremony in Namibia at the time his country was uninfected while Namibia had recorded three cases.

A number of African Presidents have also confirmed taking the tests with all of them having tested negative. South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Ghana’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari have all tested negative.

1...1,1071,1081,109...1,360Page 1,108 of 1,360