By: Tamba Borbor, Public Relations Officer, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Koidu City
German International Non-Governmental Organization, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) has on Tuesday 12th May 2020 continued its crucial interventions in the fight against the novel Coronavirus by donating various items to the Sefadu Correctional Centre in Koidu City, Kono District.
The items include: Six big-sized Veronica buckets, six medium-sized rubber buckets, six medium-sized hand liquid soap and two Infrared Temperature guns.
Speaking before formally handing over the items to the Deputy Head of the Correctional Centre, the County Director of WHH, Ursula Langkamp stated that her organization notes the fast spread of the Covid-19 all over the world hence the reason for undertaking sensitization and distribution of hygiene materials across operational districts including Kono, Kenema and Kailahun.
“We are also planning further support to Quarantine and Treatment Centres,” the WHH Boss disclosed; expressing her wish that everyone would play their part in protecting the country from further spread of the virus.
She expressed that “We are very happy that Kono District is still safe for now although the situation is unpredictable as to how long it will stay like this.”
Lanka as she is fondly called, lauded the efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone in the continued fight against the Coronavirus and the Sefadu Correctional Centre for ensuring the inmates are still uninfected.
She maintained that the donation is geared towards ensuring needed health preventive materials are always available to protect the management and inmates of the Correctional Centre.
Receiving the hygiene and sanitary items, the Second-In-Command of the Sefadu Correctional Centre, Mr. Raymond Njai thanked WHH for the items which he noted were recently unavailable.
“As we are charged with the responsibility of managing this Centre, it is also our responsibility to keep ourselves safe from the virus so that the inmates would not be infected through our going out and coming in,” Njai stated; stressing that the items would be duly utilized.
The Environment and Social Officer of the Koidu New Sembehun City Council (KNSCC), Ibrahim Bockarie on behalf of the Mayor of Koidu City- Mathew Komba Sam thanked WHH for the timely donation.
He recalled that the German INGO has been working closely with Councils around the country and started operations in Koidu City in 2019 to implement the Improved Waste Management Project funded by the British people through the Department For International Development (DFID).
“The Coronavirus is very serious and has affected all countries of the world which is why WHH had started sensitizing the people of Koidu City and the district about the COVID-19 through a bi-weekly one hour radio programme that brings all stakeholders together on one platform to provide vital information to the people about how to prevent themselves including symptoms of the virus,” Bockarie stated.
He noted that the items provided are for inmates, visitors and staff of the Correctional Centre to be able to regularly wash their hands which is one of the preventive methods; while expressing hope that the items would be utilized for the intended purpose.
Earlier, Country Director Ursula Langkamp met with the Coordinator of the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC)- Sahr Samuel Sam and Team at their United Methodist Church Girls School Compound, Kimbadu in Koidu City.
During the meeting, the DEOC Coordinator appealed for urgent logistical and financial assistance from Welthungerhilfe to enable effective set up of their offices and operations.
Langkamp acknowledged the efforts of DEOC Kono District in battling to ensure the district remains one of few not to have registered a single case. She says WHH would continue to work in close collaboration with the DEOC and assist when the opportunity is available. “We intend to start a programme which includes feeding Quarantine and Treatment Centres, training of COVID-19 Contract Tracers and Mobilisers among other activities under our Covid-19 intervention,” Ursula Langkamp informed.
During the two-day visit to Koidu City, the WHH Country Director also assessed ongoing constructions works at the Waste Management Department (WMD) at D.O. Barracks including a visit to the fully cleared land for the construction of the Controlled Waste Disposal Site at Boroma for which contracts have been awarded and construction expected to start soon.
