On May 25th 2014, the government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation declared an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Sierra Leone following the laboratory confirmation of a suspected case from Kailahun District. The District is located in the eastern region of Sierra Leone, sharing borders with Guinea and Liberia.
This outbreak appears to be a spillover from the on-going outbreak in Guinea and Liberia since March 2014. As of 4th September, 2014 the country recorded a total number of 1,179 Ebola confirmed cases; 404 confirmed deaths nationwide.
The Government has been working with partners to establish and implement response measures for EVD outbreak. Despite the implementation of these measures the EVD outbreak continues to spread in the country.
The President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma in his initial broadcast to the nation on 30th July, 2014 proclaimed a state of Public Health Emergency to enable the government and its partners take more robust approach to deal with the Ebola outbreak. He established a Presidential task force to champion the implementation of various measures to fight the disease.
Pursuant to Section 29 (5) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991, the President announced the flowing regulations to complement the measures already in force.
- Commercial Motor Bike Riders in all parts of the country should operate from 7 am to 7 pm daily.
- All Night clubs, Cinemas and Video Centres should stop their activities with immediate effect.
- All mushroom hospitals and clinics should stop their operations with immediate effect.
- All Ebola deceased should be buried in the areas where they died and all such burial should be reported to the Ministry of Health and sanitation which will give necessary clearance. Death certificates must be issued before burials.
- The Sierra Leone Police should organize regular patrols to prevent armed robbery and other illegal activities including the unauthorized movement of Ebola infected persons.
- Emergency operations centers (EOCs) at District Level should be activated with immediate effect.
- No public gatherings are allowed expect for those geared toward Ebola sensitization.
- All means of transportation to the epicenters of the disease are restricted.
- Donor partners are immediately co-opted to be members of the Presidential Task Force and
- All relevant authorities and the general public are admonished to strictly adhere to these regulations
On August 4, 2014 a National Stay Home by all citizens was observed throughout the country to reflect on the impact of the Ebola disease. Also, during the month of August 2014, Parliament passed into law the Public Health Amendment Act, 2014 to allow enforcement of new Public Health Regulations.
The government has ordered the use of Chlorine solution for the washing of hands prior to access to all public facilities including banks, insurance facilities, telecom company facilities, health facilities and other corporate and private offices as well as in homes. The situation has become very alarming. The government therefore intends to shut down the country for three days (19th – 21st September, 2014) for people to stay home in order to carry out a nationwide house-to-house check that would employ 21,000 trained personnel who would have to detect early signs of the Ebola disease.
The above notwithstanding, three senior medical doctors have died as a result of being infected with the Ebola virus during the course of their work.
In addition to this, about forty five front line nurses and other EOC attendants have been infected and died of the virus at the time of the preparation of this report. It is sad to see loved ones die and buried like paupers with no family members allowed to see their remains. It’s a serious matter though!
SOCIO – ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF COMBATING THE EBOLA DISEASE
- The declaration of a public health emergency on 30th July 2014 continues to create fear and panic amongst majority of the people of this country.
- With the declaration of a state of public health emergency, prices o