News

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

District Medical Officer, DMO, in Kono has told journalists of proof of Ebola in the eastern diamond-rich district, with one patient diagnosed and proven positive.

Dr. Manso Dumbuya said the latest medical verification of Fatmata Pomboh’s condition marked the first officially confirmed case so far since the outbreak of the deadly disease in the country.

By Crispina Lois Cummings

The Member of Parliament for constituency 94 in the Western Rural Area, Kemoko Conteh has told his constituents to be vigilant and prepare for the fight against the deadly Ebola disease now plaguing the country.

The MP urged the people "not to politicise Ebola because this is a national fight". He called on them to adhere to all precautions prescribed by the ministry of health.

By Crispina Cummings

The principal of the Annie Walsh Memorial School in Freetown has called on the government to revive curriculum centers in the country because “the country needs to put premium on teaching syllabus and there is no functional curriculum center in the country”.

Mrs. Ophelia Morisson made the call while speaking at a public sector accountability conference on public financial management for secondary schools in the Western Area.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

Diamond miner, OCTEA Koidu Limited operating in the eastern diamond rich district of Kono, yesterday donated 30 plastic containers with taps for hand washing to the Kono district council in Koidu town.

The gesture was the first in terms of donation so far made by the mining company since the outbreak of Ebola in the country some three months ago to promote hand washing with chlorinated water.

Sierra Leonean-born Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Dr Kandeh Yumkella has secured US$ 500,000 towards the fight against the Ebola outbreak in his country.

A press release from the Vienna-based OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) said the organisation approved "an emergency assistance grant of US$500,000 to support the activities of the World Health Organization (WHO) in stopping the spread of the deadly Ebola virus".

The streets of Freetown and other cities across Sierra Leone were completely deserted on Monday in accordance with a call by President Ernest Bai Koroma for all to stay at home and reflect on the havoc wreaked by the Ebola outbreak on the country, and pray for it to be stemmed.

In his address to the nation on 30 July announcing emergency measures to contain the outbreak, the president declared 4 August "a National Stay at Home Day for Family Reflection, Education and Prayers on the Ebola outbreak".

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health has banned the issuance of Haj and Umrah visas to Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia because of concerns over the spread of Ebola in the countries.

A Saudi health ministry spokesman, Dr. Khaled Marghalani told the Jeddah-based International Islamic News Agency that his ministry constantly coordinates with the ministries of hajj and foreign affairs to take all necessary measures at borders and airports.