The former Chief Executive Officer of the then National Ebola Response Committee (NERC) Retired Major Alfred Palo Conteh recapping on the ebola crisis one year on said over the weekend that it was daunting and he had so many sleepless nights asking himself if he would come out of the crisis alive.
The now Minister of Internal Affairs, said at the end of October 2014 he was called by President Koroma and was told that he should take over the constituted NERC. “President Koroma said to me, if we are to win this battle, then with you at the helm, we will have victory.”
“My boss had so much confidence in me, would I let him down, no! I had to give my all to make sure that I don’t let him down.”
Palo Conteh said when he took over it was the worst time of the virus as hundreds of Sierra Leoneans were dying everyday and the staff of NERC were confused and dejected.
“I looked at their faces I knew all of them wanted to give up, but because I came with renewed energy and vigour, I was able to talk to them and provided the leadership that changed the cause of the fight.”
He said he believes that any job given to him, whether he has the qualification or not, so long as he believes in his leadership and administrative skills, he will perform and will get the required result.
Rtd Maj. Palo Conteh said one particular time that made him to lose weight and was very nervous was few days to the 7th of November 2015. “I was very nervous as we approached the finished line, thinking that there would be another case somewhere. All kinds of thoughts came to my mind what I would do if we have a new case just two or three days before we are declared free.”
He said he prayed, he would wake up during the night thinking that in the next days Sierra Leone would be free of Ebola, I will call some of the District officers putting them on check that we should not allow the 7th November to be spoilt for them.
On that fateful day, Palo Conteh said he was the happiest man on earth as the battle had been won even though it was scary, long and daunting.
He said until today he is commending the wonderful team he worked with and the venture they took to end the scourge.
“To all those who died, especially the medical workers, they died serving humanity and their names will forever be remembered whenever Ebola is mentioned in Sierra Leone. I hope as we commemorate this one year of the Ebola scourge, these health workers, families will be able to receive the little token of $5,000 that had been promised them.”
He said the survivors are the heroes and heroines that helped to end the scourge, they too should be commended and as some of them are living with side effects, God will continue to be with them and all the medical promised them they will get, he said.
When asked if there will be recurrence of the virus, he said that is what the experts say, but said if there will be any, it will be easy to tackle because the country has the capacity to deal with it.
“Before NERC was transformed, we put together all our experiences in a book we titled Lessons Learnt. It is with the officials running the then NERC office and they should make sure they read it and be ready to use it if the need arise.
On the Ambulance service, he said he spoke with the Minister of Health who said they are working on it and will soon launch if because it will help improve the health system across the country.
“I hope there will not be any outbreak again, what we went through was frightening and the scars left behind are so visible that we cannot fathom it. The battered economy and the loss of lives will haunt us for years to come.”
He called on all Sierra Leoneans to continue to do all what they did that ended the Ebola so that there will not be another outbreak. He called on all health workers to practice the safe way of treating patients, by wearing their gloves at all times.
“If we do all the right things one year after we were declared free, then I am sure there will not be any recurrence of this deadly virus anymore in Sierra Leone.”
Monday November 07, 2016