The Director of the Level III Bio-safety laboratory at Jui Dr Liu Jun has said that after two years of training they have produced five Sierra Leonean Specialists in the field of reseach and testing.
He said since the establishment of the Sierra Leone-China Biological Safety Laboratory on 11th February 2015, the major two tasks of the lab were ebola virus tests and human resource training.
“On the first function, over 14,000 specimens have been tested in the lab during the ebola epidemic. The service of the lab covers 10 different districts of the country, which is of over half of the population of Sierra Leone.”
Dr Liu averred that the lab collaborates with Ministry of Health and Sanitation, World Health Organization, and US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the virus persistence study project, which provides important reference for the ebola survivor management.
“Nearly 5,000 body fluid specimens from ebola survivors have been tested in the lab. For the second important task, Sierra Leone-China Biological Safety Laboratory plays a pivotal role in the training of the laboratory workforce for the country.”
He said dozens of local laboratory specialists been well trained in the lab on the virus test and biological safety, who have later been the major force for the ebola diagnosis and surveillance in different organizations of the country.
“The Five specialists we have trained that have qualified today are Mr Idrissa Kamara, Mr Alie Tia, Mr Sheku Koroma, Mr Gerald Bangura, and Ms Aminata Daramy and they are currently working currently together with the Chinese team in the lab.”
The lab he said will strengthen the training of the native workforce in the future. Dr Liu said during the process from the construction to the running of the lab, the Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr Abu Fofanah, and Chief Medical Officer Dr Brima Kargbo and the entire colleagues from Ministry have given great support to this Lab.
“Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yanbo pays great solicitude and concern to the development of the lab. In the same time, the lab got great support from different departments of China CDC, especially the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, which has today brought in the Deputy Director-General of China CDC Dr George Gao Fu, and the Director’ of National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention Dr Guizhen Wu are attending this ceremony from China, showing the concern from our leaders of China CDC.”
He said the unveiling of the plaques “National Reference Lab for Viral haemorrhagic fevers” and “National Training Center for Viral Detection and Biosafety” are the great horror that shows the position and contribution of Sierra Leone-China Biological Safety Laboratory in the infectious disease control system in Sierra Leone.
The lab the Director said will keep working and maintain the leadership on the diagnosis of Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers, and training in Virus Detection, and Biosafety in Sierra Leone.
Wednesday June 29, 2016
ADVERTISEMENT