News

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

Former Sierra Leone ambassador to the United Nations, Allieu Kanu, has called on government “to take strong diplomatic actions against Senegal for banning flights from picking passengers from Sierra Leone".

He made the call at a press conference on Monday at his Institute of International Law in Freetown. He urged that government should take Senegal to the UN, the highest diplomatic level.

By Aminata Phidelia Allie

The Mayor of Freetown says he will go to whatever length to ensure Ebola is completely eradicated from the country, “even to the point of laying down my life”.

Speaking at a joint presser organised by the Flaming Evangelical Ministries and Destiny Shipping Agencies, Mayor Franklyn Bode Gibson said the disease could only be stopped through divine intervention, adding that “it is above traditional healing”.

By Aminata Phidelia Allie

In an effort to increase water supply in rural Sierra Leone, the country's water company, SALWACO, has signed a nine-month contract for the construction of new containerised water treatment plant for Blama, Bandawor and six surrounding villages, as well as production and transmission of the liquid resource.

The production and transmission system will include the design, construction, supply and installation of the plant while transmission will involve the construction of pipelines.

By Mustapha Kamara

Prison Watch, a local human rights organisation, has demanded that an investigation be carried out into the death in police custody of a 21-year-old man “and bring the killers to justice”.

James Tamba Fasuluku died at the Approved School police station in Freetown about four months ago, after being allegedly tortured by police officers to obtain statements from him in connection with an alleged robbery matter in eastern Freetown.

Zmapp

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

Sierra Leone’s deputy health minister has criticises the use of the experimental drug for Ebola, ZMapp saying it is “a new drug and we cannot draw sound inference on its safety and efficacy having been tested on just three patients”.

By Steven Bockarie Mansaray

The authorities in Koinadugu, the only district in Sierra Leone without a confirmed Ebola case, have declared a weeklong curfew effective last night, Monday 25 August.

The Chairman of the Koinadugu District Council, Samuel Sheku Kamara made the announcement over the weekend which he said followed a decision by the district Ebola task force and was a means to keep the disease at bay.

He said the curfew would last from 8:00 PM to 07:00 AM.

The World Health Organisation says it will evacuate one of its expatriate staff who has tested positive for the Ebola virus.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the WHO Assistant Director General for  Health Security, Dr Keiji Fukuda said the Senegalese epidemiologist who was based in Kailahun and is now at the treatment centre there, would be evacuated for further treatment. He did not say when or to where.

Over the weekend the unnamed official became the first WHO worker to test positive for Ebola which is wreaking havoc across West Africa.