The President of the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), Tadateku Konoe has called for more investment in community resilience.
Addressing journalists on Friday at Ramsy hall at Liverpool Street in Freetown, Mr Konoe said, “the two ebola cases confirmed in January are reminders that we must remain vigilant to ensure Sierra Leone never again experiences an outbreak of this magnitude. We must enhance community-based surveillance and invest more in community resilience and early warning and response mechanisms.”
He explained that the trained volunteers have gained experience and skill which can be used in not only responding to many disease outbreaks, but in also acting as early warning systems.
The IFRC president revealed that during an earlier meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister, Dr. Samura Kamara, he encouraged the Government to integrated some of the 3000 trained Red Cross workers into the rebuilding of community based health systems.
He maintained, “They have the skill set needed to help rebuild shattered community-based health care systems, from the grass root level.”
Mr. Konoe further explained that with the support of the federation, the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS) has been on the frontline of the ebola response since the very beginning of the outbreak.
He revealed that the federation has asked, “International partners to provide the $94million USD [needed] to support recovery activities over the coming two years.” However, he pointed out “our partners have responded with 63% of that funding.”
The $94million USD is a request for support made by the SLRCS to the federation; it is also part of a $214million USD regional fund for ebola-affected countries, explained IFRC Africa region Communications manager Katherine Mueller.
IFRC Africa Director, Alasan Senghore added that the ebola outbreak brought economic activities to a standstill, thus, there is need to help those communities recover and ensure that health infrastructures are strengthened. He noted capacity building is imperative and it is a proactive approach in forestalling future outbreaks not to reach the magnitude of ebola.
Mr. Senghore sited the Zika virus in Brazil noting that its primary mode of transmission through mosquitoes would be devastating for Africa, because of the huge amount of mosquitoes we have in the continent. “This is why we have to act now. Maybe this is an opportunity to get rid of malaria once and for all,” he maintained.
SLRCS Secretary General Constant Kargbo explained that a research conducted by the SLRCS they were able to identify the problems communities that were plague with ebola are facing and they’ve designed activities to address those constrains.
SLRCS President, Edward Ngandi urged people to give a little of their time and serve as volunteers with Red Cross. He said volunteers are the “boots on the ground,” that work towards saving humanity.
The IFRC president is on a two-day visit Sierra Leone. This is his first visit to the country. The trip is part of the federation’s recognition of the SLRCS work in the fight against ebola.
Tuesday February 09, 2016
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