News

By Kemo Cham

That the West African Ebola epidemic exposed the weakness of the region's health sector as demonstrated by its devastating impact has been extensively reported on. But the reason for its long-drawn-out nature has hardly been told enough.

By Kemo Cham

Sierra Leone is on target to eliminate the bacterial disease Leprosy, a health official has said in Freetown.

Dr. Lynda Foray, Programme Manager, National Leprosy and TB Control Programme at the ministry of health and sanitation, MoHS, said in the six decades of fight against the disease Sierra Leone had “enviably” reached the prevalence rate of less than one leprosy patient per every ten thousand of the population.

By Kemo Cham

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has unveiled a programme aimed at providing real time information and data to inform the management of maternal deaths in the country.

The Maternal Death Surveillance Response (MDSR), according to health officials, would help to provide missing information on maternal deaths for evidence based actions countrywide, so as to enable authorities utilize existing resources and recommend life-saving interventions.

By Umaru Fofana 

After nearly three years, a high court in Bo, southern Sierra Leone will today deliver its verdict in a trial of six leaders of an indigenous activist group of landowners in Sahn chiefdom in Pujehun District.

The six are accused of malicious damage and conspiracy, with Shaka Sama, a former member of parliament, facing a third count of incitement for allegedly mobilizing locals to resist the farming activities of the agribusiness company, Socfin which is parentally owned by the French company, Bollore.

By Mustapha Kamara Jnr 

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday expressed concern over 48 missing Ebola contacts in Kambia and urged the government to intensify the search for them.

Its country representative, Dr Anders Nordstrom, said the continued absence of the missing contacts increased the risk of the spread of the virus. He was speaking at a press conference convened on the day of the release of some 73 people who were under quarantine in three districts in the north of the country.

By Kemo Cham

The President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is expected to arrive in Freetown today for a three-day visit.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

The Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) in Kono is faced with allegations of bribery and corruption where it has embarked on an expansion of power supply. Authorities say they are baseless.

Residents this week accused “rogue elements within the power supply authority” of taking undue advantage of the high demand for connection to the grid and were making illegal payment requests for meter installations.