Speaking at a meeting with the Chinese senior representative for combating Ebola in Africa Mr. Xu Shugiang, President Ernest Bai Koroma lauded the Chinese government for the continued support and commitment to the ongoing fight against the spreading Ebola virus disease (EVD).
President Koroma described the appointment of Xu Shugiang as a significant addition to the intervention of China and applauded the Chinese Government for treating Sierra Leone as a special friend. He stated that the Chinese government had made four interventions in terms of equipment, funds, laboratory capacity and personnel that had come very handy in the fight to eradicate Ebola. He stated that the rapid Ebola test kits will increase laboratory capacity and equally cut down the waiting time that would help the country to move ahead of the virus.
Meanwhile, the president said the training of four thousand personnel will not only boost the fight against Ebola, but also help to strengthen the health sector in addressing Ebola and non-Ebola related issues as the country moves on after the outbreak. This is a welcomed development as it will help to strengthen the capacity of our health personnel, he said.
President Koroma also noted that such interventions would go a long way in capacitating the country to adequately respond to any future outbreaks of not just Ebola but other communicable diseases. He welcomed the idea of the establishment of a communicable disease centre that will provide teaching services and response capacity to ensure the dissemination of the required service across the country, and urged the Minister of Health and Sanitation to look at the need for a supplementary protocol to include treatment as suggested by Mr. Shugiang.
Whilst commending the leadership President Koroma has exhibited in the ongoing fight, Mr. Xu Shugiang informed that his visit to the country borders on three things; that is, looking at what more the Chinese government can do to help, what can be done after Ebola, especially in prevention and control in communicable diseases, and finally to synergize Chinese support.
He disclosed that the Chinese government has brought in rapid testing kits to further increase testing capacity that could be done within 15-20 minutes, and expressed the need to transform the Jui Hospital to a full treatment centre, saying that the first protocol signed to establish the holding center at Jui did not include treatment. Mr. Shugiang also related that the bed capacity will be increased from 40 to 78 beds.
As the Chinese Government seeks to assist the three worst hit countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, the Chinese Ebola czar said Sierra Leone’s consignment including ambulances, motor cycles, hospital beds, trucks and PPEs will be more than the other two countries combined.
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