AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - Ebola: people want to go back to normality, but we must not let our guard down

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Pujehun (Agenzia Fides) - The humanitarian organization "Doctors with Africa-Cuamm" continues to be vigil with regards to the situation in Sierra Leone and the spread of the Ebola virus, even though the most critical phase seems to be part of the past. The three areas still affected are Port Loko, Western Area, Kambia (see Fides 04/07/2015). Last week there were three other confirmed cases and one suspected in Liberia. CUAMM has its hospital in Pujehun district, in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. Lately an average of 3-4 suspected cases a week were registered, then unconfirmed. The news was confirmed in a statement released by Don Dante Carraro, President of Cuamm. According to the Head of the projects Sector in Sierra Leone, the disease has adapted to the population and, sometimes 1-2 cases emerge sporadically.
Among the population there is still desire to return to normality. In Pujehun the number of deliveries has increased as well as the number of assisted obstetric emergencies. Children who die from malaria, diarrhea, respiratory infections remains very high, about 2,000 a year in the district. Even the percentage of undernourished children is among the highest in the Country.
In Sierra Leone, there are 113 doctors and 12 have died of Ebola. In this phase, called "post ebola", Cuamm is asked to support hospitals, peripheral health facilities in order to report cases properly and to handle emergencies. Even the hospital in Lunsar, in the north of the country, the second opened by Cuamm, is gradually recovering its ability to diagnosis illnesses and in particular by responding to obstetric and surgical emergencies. There is still much work to do to be done. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 22/07/2015)


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