Vigilance call as Sierra Leone cleared of Ebola

Sierra Leone was declared free of the Ebola virus disease at a symbolic ceremony in Freetown on Sunday.

The World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr Anders Nordstrom, made the pronouncement as part of a brief statement.

“Saturday, November 7, 2015, the World Health Organisation declares the end of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone,” he declared, amidst applause in the conference hall of the Bintumani Hotel in Aberdeen, the tourist area in the west end of Freetown.

The occasion was graced by President Ernest Bai Koroma and his ministers, representatives from the diplomatic community and aid agencies who helped Sierra Leone fight the deadly disease that infected over 8,000 people and killed nearly 4,000.

Saturday’s declaration came after Sierra Leone reached 42 days at midnight on Friday without recording a new case of the disease, as per WHO recommendation.

VIGILANCE

The WHO representative also declared a 90-day “enhanced surveillance” phase starting from Monday, and said an enhanced presence of the world health agency’s anti-Ebola team will be maintained to monitor the situation.

President Koroma, in his keynote speech, spoke about a “new beginning” in approach to living style, warning against traditional and cultural practices that had to be discontinued during the epidemic.

He praised the heroism of health workers, because of who he said the country had prevailed over “the evil virus”.In their honour, the president declared Friday November 18 as ‘Day of Recognition of Ebola Response Workers.

And Saturday November 21 was declared a ‘National Day of Thanks Giving’.

President Koroma also had praises for Sierra Leoneans in general for their collective effort in ending the epidemic.

With their efforts, he said, the world had learnt more about Ebola and was best placed to respond to future outbreak.

President Koroma said he had commenced discussion with parliament to end the state of emergency declared at the height of the epidemic. But he urged vigilance.

“The history of Ebola in other countries has taught us that we must be vigilant for future occurrence, he said.