Sierra Leone News: Burial team coordinator calls for more hands

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Alusine Kanneh, Disease Surveillance Officer at the District Health Management Team (DHMT) in Kenema has called for hands stating that the safest way of preventing from the Ebola virus is being a member of the burial team. He made the call against the backdrop that since the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in the country “there has not been a single case of infection of any member of the burial team. Kanneh was speaking during a-three day training of health workers and volunteers from the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society and chiefdom authorities, organized by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS) for burial teams, surveillance teams, sprayers, laboratory technicians and Infectious Prevention Control (IPC) on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). The participants included volunteers that were recommended by Paramount Chiefs and Councillors from communities across the district. The Disease Surveillance Officer said even though in the initial stage of the outbreak burial teams where getting “crash-two day trainings and had less equipment, they were still able to protect themselves from catching the virus even in the face of the highest risks they were exposed to. Kanneh also noted that members of the burial team which include both male and female are now getting three days of training on the use and removal of the different types of PPEs. He said the burial teams use far-more concentrated chlorine which does not give chance to the virus to survive on any part of the PPEs. “Because of the fact that they are working in the highest risk situation, every care is taken not to expose them to the virus. Their work is highly appreciated and efforts and built on daily to ensure their safety and protection,” Mr. Kanneh stated, and encouraged citizens to join up the teams to serve their nation with the guarantee that they will be protected at all costs. By Saffa Moriba Friday November 21, 2014

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