“500 Nurses who volunteered to Fight Ebola are on Payroll”- President Koroma Confirms

President of the Republic of Sierra Leone His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma said in recognition of their exemplary service in the fight against Ebola, his government has absorbed into the payroll 500 nurses that volunteered their services during the response.

He made this statement on Thursday 15th December 2016 during the State Opening of the fifth session of the fourth Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

added that whilst no amount of compensation will make up for the irreparable loss to their families and the nation, his Government has begun the process of paying death benefits to the next-of-kins of the deceased health workers.

He added to date; payments have been made in respect of 103 deceased health workers and have also extended the Free Health Care Initiative to our Ebola Virus survivors and a comprehensive package catering for their special healthcare needs has been provided.

He informed that in his last address to this Honourable House, he committed his Government to maintain a zero Ebola infection rate and to strengthen their health care delivery system. “With your partnership and the dedication of our gallant healthcare workers, we have been able to achieve these goals,” he said.

He underscored that learning from the EVD outbreak, his Government is taking action to build a resilient health system that is well positioned toprevent, detect, and respond to any public health threat of either the same or of similar nature to Ebola.

He said they have established two public health laboratories in the Western Area and one in each of the regional headquarter towns of Bo, Kenema and Makeni. These laboratories have full capabilities to test for viral haemorrhagic fevers including Ebola. One of these, in the Western Area, is fully equipped to test for the Zika virus.

He said an Emergency Operational Centre and a National Public Health Agency for capacity building have been established at Cockerill to coordinate field activities during outbreaks.

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