Sewa News Stream

In this undated photo, Health Minister Miatta Kargbo speaks to the press Some say the immediate Ebola crisis may be almost over, but others aren't so sure. As efforts continue apace to contain the outbreak in Sierra Leone, the nation’s Minister of Health and Sanitation, Miatta Kargbo, is facing the fallout. This is Africa reports that Kargbo, on Monday, blamed those suspected to have died from Ebola fever responsible for their own deaths The lash back came swiftly on social media but there was one editorial that stood out in its vehemence. The New People Online, which often runs strident criticism of government, accused Minister Kargbo of “ordering the kidnap and secret killing of dying Ebola virus patients.” New People's Abdul Fonti also implied misjudgment when the ministry dismissed Sylvia Olayinka Blyden’s initial reports. Blyden, a medical school graduate turned publisher, currently serves as a special executive assistant to President Koroma. Fonti wrote tha

The World Health Organization (WHO) was notified on Sunday, May 25, 2014 of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in Sierra Leone. Preliminary information received from the field indicates that one laboratory confirmed case and four community deaths have been reported from Koindu chiefdom. This chiefdom shares border with the current Ebola virus disease hotspot Guéckédou in Guinea. The laboratory analysis of the case was done at the viral hemorrhagic (or haemorrhagic) fevers (VHF) laboratory in Kenema, Sierra Leone . While waiting for additional epidemiological information, the following measures have been initiated by national authorities with support from the WHO: 1. Meeting of the national emergency Ebola task force to discuss the current situation and proposed preventive and response to be implemented immediately; 2. Deployment of a team to the field to conduct epidemiological investigations and initiated preliminary response measures and development of funding proposals bas