Feature

As sunlight wanes from the sky,

I see thick black flames billow from across the street. 

While I struggle for air,

I trample upon my fallen brothers 

Whom I barely recognize. 

I see them covered in ruins, 

with bodies as though they died naked 

And at a place similar to an inferno;

Roasting everything away from them,

Their survival 

Their dreams

Their prospects; 

Everything.

Indeed, I’ve seen many sorrows

By Kemo Cham and Rachel Williams

Dr Tom Sesay is the Programme Manager of Child Health and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS). He is also the Vaccination Pillar Lead at the National Covid-19 Emergency Response Center (NaCOVERC).

In this interview, he talks to the Kombra TV on Sierra Leone’s efforts to increase uptake of Covid-19 vaccines, misconceptions that have held back these efforts and the authorities’ approach in beating these obstacles and ensuring access.

        Simple words may wound or soothen,

        Much depending on their use;

        They estrange as well as sadden

        When their use becomes abuse.

        Air may be compared to verbiage

        Both in quality and mass;

        Furious air will scatter foliage

        Thoughtless words good friends disperse.

        Temperate words tend to ennoble,

        Comfort, quicken and console.

        When like viands on the table

By Joseph Bankole Thompson MD, PHD

Many parts of the world experienced a significant decrease in COVID-19 infections and deaths over the week, October 25-31, 2021.

By Kemo Cham

A mobile vaccination team is on its way out to its first assignment of the day in Sierra Leone’s southern Bonthe District.

The 12-mile journey from Bum Village, where they are based, to Tassor Village, would have taken Nurse Ann Marie Keifa and her team 3hrs on a motor bike. But the boat ride cuts the time to 45 minutes.

By Kemo Cham

As the race to contain the Covid-19 pandemic heats up, countries like Sierra Leone are lagging far behind in terms of vaccination.

Seven months since it commenced its vaccination programme, only about 3 percent of Sierra Leone’s population has been fully vaccinated, according to official data.

Besides hesitancy, which has been due to misconceptions fueled by fake news, occasional shortages of the jabs has also contributed to the low uptake. But authorities say not only is there enough jabs now, hesitancy has also reduced.

By Joseph Bankole Thompson MD, PHD

Many parts of the world experienced a significant decrease in COVID-19 infections and deaths over the week, October 18-25, 2021.