The Finnish Red Cross and Red Crescent Society from Finland, on Saturday 25th August 2012 landed a special Cargo plane at the Lungi International Airport containing drugs, Medical Doctors, Nurses and assorted medical equipments worth several millions of Euros.The drugs, medical equipment and personnel are to help eradicate the rapidly growing Cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone which recently prompted a call of an Emergency situation from Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Koroma.
In an exclusive interview with the Awareness Times at about 3:30am when the flight landed at the Lungi International Airport, the Technical Head of the team, Mr. Jari Kymalainen revealed they aimed to strengthen the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS) to be able to fight the Cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone. He said it was an immediate emergency response to the clarion call made by His Excellency President of Sierra Leone Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma for the Government and people of Sierra Leone to receive collaboration in ongoing efforts to eradicate the epidemic from the country.
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| Offloading the Humanitarian Response Plane |
Mr. Kymalainen said the Finnish team will be establishing two stationed Cholera Clinics in the country and several other Sub-Units that will be penetrating into the interiors to treat cases of Cholera on a free of cost basis.
He further revealed that the team has plans to work in Sierra Leone for a month but that this period might be extended for as long as they could, if the need arises.Mr. Kymalainen said they will be focusing on Cholera prevention, treatment and awareness raising sensitizations in all the regions of Sierra Leone.
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| Cross Section of the landed donations at Lungi |
Among the items donated were self-contained staff quarters unit boxes, medical items, tents, mattresses, water purification items, specialised cholera patient beds, air compressors, generators, water treatment units, electrical items, Banjamanja moveable plastic toilets, drinking water, dry food, hand truck, IT equipment and numerous other items.
It could be recalled that His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma recently declared Cholera an emergency in Sierra Leone and further set up a Presidential Task Force to look into the epidemic. The President also called on and sundry all to join the fight against Cholera and to further ensure that Sierra Leone is made a Cholera free country.
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| The Medical Team included Nurses & Doctors |
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| Inside the Packed Full Special Cargo Plane |
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| A close look of the Humanitarian Response Plane |
Cholera Update
Cholera cases and death continue to be reported from 10 out of the 13 administrative districts of Sierra Leone. As of the 24 August, 2012 the national cumulative for all ten districts out of thirteen is 13,135 cases with 226 deaths (CFR=1.7). The highest number of cases reported for the day were from Western Area (161), Bombali (29) and Tonkolili (28).
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation and partners involved in cholera control in the country held a meeting to review the scaleup cholera response plan. The high level planning meeting was also attended by Chief of Staff at Office of the President, Chief Medical Officer, WHO and UNICEF country representatives, civil society groups amongst others.
Training on cholera surveillance, case management and infection control conducted by MOHS in collaboration with WHO continued for health personnel in Port Loko, Bo and Bombali.
Ongoing TV and Radio coverage of cholera response activities jingles and radio discussion. Also mobile companies continue to disseminate key cholera prevention messages through text.
#Issued by WHO Offices in Sierra Leone (www.whosierraleone.org)
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Newspaper in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
