By Edward Farah Marah
Sierra Leone has been placed on high alert following confirmation that Nigeria has recorded its first case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the current West African outbreak, sparking fears of a possible regional spread.
The Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Agency (NPHA) say although there is no confirmed Ebola case in Sierra Leone, the country is taking no chances, given its devastating experience with the virus in 2014 that claimed nearly 4,000 lives.
The NPHA on Tuesday convened an Emergency Preparedness meeting with journalists and media houses at its headquarters in Freetown, outlining measures being taken to keep the virus out.
The Executive Director of the NPHA, Professor Foday Sahr, who briefed journalists, confirmed that Nigeria is the first West African country to record a case in the current wave, but stressed that no case has been detected in Sierra Leone.
Professor Foday Sahr disclosed that just as during the first outbreak in 2014, there is currently no confirmed approved vaccine for the Ebola virus strain.
He however noted that Sierra Leone is far better prepared today than it was 12 years ago, revealing that infection prevention and control measures in health facilities have grown from 18% in 2014 to 83% presently.
He urged health workers to strictly adhere to protective measures before and after attending to any patient presenting with fever, headache and other related symptoms, and warned against stigmatization, noting that “stigma drives people away” from seeking early treatment.
The Deputy Minister of Health 2, Dr. Jelikatu Mustapha, said government has two clear goals: to keep the virus out of Sierra Leone and to implement stringent protective measures at all border entry points.
She said government has intensified screening of travellers, especially those arriving from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and DR Congo.
“As a country, fortunately but unfortunately, this is not the first time we are facing Ebola, so we have been there and we know from past experience how to combat it,” Dr. Mustapha said.
Development partners have also pledged support. The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative commended the NPHA for its proactive readiness and reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to providing financial and technical support towards preparedness, while calling for strong collaboration between the media and medical practitioners to promote public health awareness.
Meanwhile, the NPHA has issued reporting guidelines for journalists covering the outbreak, urging media houses to report only confirmed information, avoid sensational headlines that cause panic, repeatedly share practical preventive messages, bring rumours to health authorities for verification before publication, and give experts airtime in local languages.
The Ministry of Health and NPHA have assured the public that surveillance has been heightened nationwide and called on citizens to remain calm, observe hygiene practices, and promptly report any suspected cases to the nearest health facility.