Freetown, 11 August 2014 – President Ernest Bai Koroma made his third visit to the Ebola Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the WHO Country Office in Freetown today 11 August. The President last visited the Centre on Saturday 9 August. In today’s visit the President participated in the daily meeting where he received briefing by the Minister of Health and Sanitation Ms Miatta Kargbo and the EOC body on the decisions, required actions and measures agreed upon by the EOC members as well as progress and challenges in the response. Some of the highlights of the discussions included capacity building of staff including the burial teams, nurses to ensure sustainability and contact tracing. The President was informed about the involvement of independent monitors to evaluate and verify effectiveness of the ongoing interventions and identify gaps. Management of checkpoints by the security apparatus, logistics and supplies and quantification of support provided by the international community to the response since the outbreak was discussed. 

The President stated that he was at the Centre to “have a feel of the discussions and operations of the EOC”. He reiterated that the EOC being the “heart” of the response operations, should be “up and about” and should continue with 24 hours operations including the call centres. He expressed the urgency for result oriented actions of the ongoing interventions. “In this process there should not be any leakage he added.  However, President Koroma stated that he was “disappointed with the response of the international community” to the outbreak noting that he has had frank discussions with world leaders about his “disappointment”. This expressed the need for additional international experts to assist with the outbreak. 

 As part of the briefing, Dr Jacob Mufunda WHO Country Representative informed the President of WHO’s role in the recruitment and deployment of international experts stating that plans are underway for the deployment of some Ugandan doctors and nurses in the country. He also highlighted ongoing trainings of burial teams and contact tracers across the country. Funding status and planned financial and logistical support were also clarified. Dr Mufunda also confirmed that two additional laboratories for the diagnosis of Ebola would be functional by the end of next week.

The EOC is the leading coordinating structure in the Ebola outbreak response. The President reassured the body of his full support for the Centre and reiterated that the Centre should be independent of external and political influence. The outcome of the meetings of the Centre forms the bases of decisions at the Presidential taskforce, the inter-ministerial committees and at the District taskforce levels.

     
01 L-R Minister of Social Welfare, Minister of Health (speaking), H E the President, WHO Representative and the Chief Medical Officer
02 President Koroma in a meeting with the EOC Member at the WHO Country Office
03 A cross section of the meeting
04 Cross section of the EOC in session with the President in attendance
05 President Koroma