Freetown, 30 June 2014 -- Kailahun district is the most affected district according to data from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS). 81.4% of the 199 confirmed cases are from Kailahun District as of 29th June 2014.

A District Taskforce for Ebola response is headed by the Kailahun District Council Chairperson Mr Alex Bhonapha who is assisted by the District Medical Officer James Squire. The taskforce meets daily to coordinate Ebola prevention and control strategies. 

The sub committees for Ebola prevention and control include at the national level which are mirrored at the district include: coordination; case management; surveillance; logistics and Social Mobilization and psychosocial support.

Community Volunteers from the Chiefdoms are being trained to mobilize  communities, track and trace contacts and bury corpses of people who die from Ebola. Technical and financial support for the trainings have been provided by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, Metabiota, MSF and the Red Cross society. 
 
A treatment centre is operational in Kailahun town with support from MSF and two transit treatment centres with support from MoHS and partners. Support for laboratory services is provided by Tuilane, Metabiota and from 30th June also by Canadian  government.

Some Paramount chiefs are showing commitment by instituting bi-laws to ensure that patients are not kept at home and corpses are appropriately buried. A paramount chief (PC Kallon) who lost his wife and child to Ebola Virus Disease is mobilizing members of his chiefdom for the control of Ebola in his chiefdom.  He also advocates for adequate resources to be provided for his people including request for a Treatment Centre in his chiefdom.

For more information contact

Aminata Grace Kobie
Health Promotion Officer
WHO Sierra Leone
Tel:23276723236