ASEOWA, SIERRA LEONE BOOSTED BY AN ADDITIONAL 103 CLINICAL AND MEDICAL HEALTH WORKERS

Lungi, Sierra Leone, 5 December 2014: The African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), Sierra Leone, has received an additional 103 clinical and medical volunteers. The new team, made up of Nigerians arrived at the Lungi International Airport at 2:25 pm on the 5th of December. They were received by Nigerian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, H.E. (Mrs.) Gladys M. Quist-Adebiyi, Sierra Leonean Deputy Minister of Health, Hon. Foday Sesay, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. (Mrs.) Ebun Strasser-King, Regional Coordinator, Northern Province of the National Ebola Response Commission (NERC), Mr. M.A. Jallow, the District Coordinator of the NERC (Port Loko), Mr. Raymond Kambia and ASEOWA Deputy Head of Mission, Dr. Richard Ssekitoleko.
The team led by the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Prof. A. Nasidi, was deployed following two days orientations conducted by the African Union in Lagos, Nigeria.
In her welcoming remarks, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone lauded the concerted efforts in the fight against Ebola and in particular the contribution of the medical personnel, remarking on the enormous capacity both in human and material value that the Nigerian Government has brought to tackle the scourge. “I want to emphasize that this team did not come alone but also with mobile laboratories and lab technicians, an expression of the seriousness of this deployment. We know that sooner rather than later we will kick Ebola out of Sierra Leone,” she added.
Prof. A. Nasidi disclosed that the deployment was part of the comprehensive support of Nigerian Government that also includes continuous technical manpower development and cross-fertilization of expertise that will witness training of 12 Sierra Leoneans at the NCDC. He noted the significant addition that the federated states of Nigeria have made to the deployment, in a bid to beat and be ahead of the virus.
“One of the few lessons we learnt in Nigeria and how we successfully kicked Ebola out of Nigeria is by coordinating responses not only as a case sector activity but a total package that encompasses mobilizing the public about the disease, taking care of the patient and taking care of the environment where the virus is spreading to,” he mentioned.
As part of the ongoing African Union support to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the AU Commission has made an initial deployment of 87 clinical, medical and logistical personnel to the affected Member States, 31 of whom were deployed to Sierra Leone. The team has since been redeployed into the various pillars - Case Management, Epidemiology/Surveillance, Logistics, Psychosocial and Social Mobilization - set up by the Government of Sierra Leone. In partnership with the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health, ASEOWA team is coordinating the management of the newly opened ETU in Magbenteh, Bombali District. The latest arrival is expected to consolidate on the achievements of ASEOWA and also backstop the health sector in Sierra Leone.
Welcoming the volunteers, the Deputy Head of Mission, on behalf of the Head of Mission expressed appreciation to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, African Union and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone for the holistic approach to combat of the disease outbreak in Sierra Leone. “You are joining a team of 31 AU medical experts already involved in the EVD fight, operating in the Northern District of Bombali at the level of the various pillars set up by the Government. We are confident that your addition to the team already on ground will further strengthen our capacity and elevate our collective achievements,” he added.
The African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa through the Executive Council Decision at its Sixteenth Extraordinary Session held on 8th September 2014 in Addis Ababa has been deploying medicaland human resource capacities in response to the Ebola Virus Outbreak in West Africa.
For Further Information on the AU response to the Ebola outbreak contact:
Wynne Musabayana | Deputy Head of Division | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00 | Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44 | E-mail: MusabayanaW@africa-union.org | Web: www.au.int|Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Temitope Famuyide, Humanitarian Affairs Officer
ASEOWA, Bombali, Sierra Leone
tpfamuyide@gmail.com+232 76796445

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Follow us
Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/AUCommission

Learn more at: www.au.int