EBOLA IS AGGRESSIVE BUT CAN BE FRAGILE WITH SUPPORTIVE TREATMENT By Hassan Bruz Northern Bureau Chief The Ebola virus is aggressive but can be fragile if issued with the supportive treatment says the Port Loko District Medical Officer- Dr. Adikali Alpha Kamara. He made the statement in the Marampa Chiefdom Headquarter Town of Lunsar where he was invited by Paramount Chief Bai Koblo Queen 11, to throw light on some doubts entertained by his people over the Ebola Disease. He said Ebola does not originated in Lunsar, but that it has a history of travel. He made a particular reference to its history in the Port Loko District that started with a Truck Driver who took a trip to Liberia, spent some time in Kailahun, made a stop at Masiaka, rejoined his family at Mange Burreh, proceeded to Mambolo and was temporarily admitted at the St John of God Catholic Hospital otherwise known as Mabessaneh in Lunsar, from where he was eventually conveyed to the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kenema following results of the tests of his blood samples. He said the person survived the disease and was subsequently discharged with a certificate after he had gone through the prescribed treatment, adding that the country now has close to 200 such successful cases of Ebola survivors. The Port Loko District Medical Officer however maintained that Ebola is a viral and hemorrhagic disease that is yet the worst to hit this country. He spoke of the great concern President Koroma and his Government has attached to it and the modalities the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has set up to fight the spread of the virus. He cited the series of sensitisation meetings the Port Loko District Health Management Team is conducting to help people know the realities of this dreadful disease. Dr. Kamara used the opportunity to commend Paramount Chief Koblo Queen 11 for his exemplary move in the formation of a Public Health Committee that has championed the fight against Ebola in that part of the District. He made a special commendation to the various Health Workers in the respective Institutions in the Marampa Chiefdom with a particular reference to the Staff and Workers of the Mabessaneh Hospital for the dedicated service at such a trying moment in the history of this Country. He encouraged them to continue with the good hard work in spite of the crucial challenges, as he urged for the co operation of all and sundry to combat the spread of the Ebola virus Dr. Kamara was buttressed by the E P I Surveillance Officer -Michael N’dolie and the Health Promotion Officer – Aminata Koble , both from the World Health Organisation who said their mandate was to guide and support the Health Ministry in the fight against Ebola. They explained in their separate contributions how the disease has now spread in almost every District in the Country with an escalating death toll. They denounced the wrong perception that Nurses were of the habit of infecting people who go for treatment in their Institutions with the Ebola virus. They shared their experiences from Kenema and Kailahun where the disease has ravaged several Villages. They said Ebola is so lethal that it requires drastic and collective measures that should be implemented to stop the spread. They stressed the need for people to accept and comply with the realities of the disease, to report every suspected case and to as well refrain from direct contact with victims of the virus especially dead bodies irrespective of the affiliation . Some of the concerns tabled to the District Medical Officer by the people of Marampa had to do with the refusal of some community members in allowing Medical Officers to obtain blood samples of Ebola Suspects, the forceful removal of such cases from Hospitals and the fate of School going Children when learning Institutions shall have opened for the next school year. As outlined by the Secretary of the Marampa Public Health Committee –Abdul O Turay, there is an ongoing sensitisation campaign in every Section of the Chiefdom to help People know the realities of this deadly disease. Apart from Paul Santigie Sesay who spoke on the ugly development that prevented the Surveillance Team from taking the blood samples of perceived cases of Ebola victims that recently died in Lunsar, and Thomas Santigie Kamara of the Lunsar Eye Hospital who expressed the need for his Institution to also benefit from packages on the fight against Ebola, the concerns put forward by the Management of the St John of God Catholic Hospital were considered to be much more crucial. Joshua Sandy- the Head of Public Relations Unit, spoke of the conflicting results between the Office of the District Medical Officer in Port Loko and the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kenema on the 5 suspected Ebola cases from the Mabessaneh Hospital and the negative impact it has had on their Administration. He informed the gathering how most Ebola Suspected Patients were discharging themselves before results of their blood samples were released, noting the Country Head of the Catholic Mission and Director of Medical Services -Bro. Michael was now contemplating of closing down operations. Meanwhile, Paramount Chief Koblo Queen 11 has out rightly condemned the arrogance and defiant attitude put up by certain members of the Community. He said the People should refrain from the culture of denial because Ebola is not only a total threat to the operations of the Mining Activities in the Chiefdom as most Investors will be left with the only alternative of fleeing out of the Country, but that the virus also has the capability to ravage the entire Nation if the spread is not controlled. He said that is the more reason why the fight requires the cooperation of all. The Paramount Chief therefore encouraged the Management of the Mabessaneh Hospital to continue its service, implored the Police to monitor all forms of forceful discharges from Hospitals, and urged his Subjects to adhere to the preventive measures outlined by the Medics in order to make the fight against Ebola a winnable one. These are some of the Photos of those in attendance....
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:21:42 +0000
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