The Minister of Health and Sanitation (MoHS), Ms Miatta Kargbo conducted field visits to Kenema and Kailahun Districts on 28 June to assess the Ebola outbreak response activities in the districts. The Minister undertook the visit together with the WHO Representative in Sierra Leone, Dr Jacob Mufunda, and senior officials of MoHS including the Chief Medical Officer and a team of Directors and Managers from the Ministry. The media and civil society also formed part of the team.

The delegation held meetings with the response partners and local stakeholders in the districts in a view to understand the progress as well as the technical and logistical challenges in the containment of the disease. Critical human resources needs for effective implementation of the Ebola response plans were also discussed. Addressing the meeting with stakeholders, the Minister expressed appreciation to the partners including WHO, MSF, IFRC, UNICEF, the local authorities and other partners for their support in the outbreak response. She described the response as a great demonstration of partnership. She urged partners and health workers to adopt and replicate best practices in Ebola response from previously affected countries to halt the spread of the disease.

Delivering a statement, the WHO Representative, Dr Jacob Mufunda assured the commitment of the Organization and the UN Country Team and other agencies for supporting the outbreak response activities. He said WHO will continue to work with the Ministry and other partners to end the outbreak.

Ebola Virus Disease outbreak was declared in Kailahun district in the eastern part of Sierra Leone on 25 May 2014 making it the first EVD reported outbreak in the country. The disease has been reported in four other districts (Kenema, Bo, Port Loko and Kambia) and has affected 191 people with 63 confirmed deaths as of 27 June. 

Since the outbreak, national and district response plans have been developed, Ebola Taskforce instituted and thematic subcommittees set up at national and local levels to address the different challenges and issues relating to the  outbreak. 

Series of trainings have been conducted with technical and financial support of WHO and other partners. WHO has established work stations in Kenema and Kailahun which are the two most affected districts to coordinate the outbreak response and provide technical support to the Ministry and response partners. 

Since the beginning of the outbreak, WHO has fielded in international surge capacity from its Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices, and has recruited local consultants, and is as well collaborating with partners to complement the human resources of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. The surge includes experts in Emergency coordination, outbreak response and preparedness, Epidemiology, data management, health promotion and social mobilization, logistics/administration and finance, case management and disease surveillance. WHO is supporting the provision of logistical supplies to manage case management and other response activities.