SaLone’s health care system is much improved now…

While she encouraged people to have confidence in the Health System, a nurse at the Kenema Government Hospital and an ebola survivor, Fatima Kamara has said, “Sierra Leone has an improved and refurbished health care system now as compared to before ebola.”
“Now the hospitals have a hand washing system from there you go to the triage were you can explain your health problem and from there you can be taken to the appropriate doctor for proper medical check,” Nurse Fatima Kamara pointed out.
She spoke about the huge changes in Sierra Leone’s health system; noting the availability of more ambulances than never before to ferry patients to medical centres and that nurses and other medical staff across the country have been trained on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). “Nurses now have enough knowledge on how to handle patients,” she further noted, and encouraged the public to feel safe and assured to go to any health facility in the country for treatment. Nurse Kamara encouraged Sierra Leoneans to go to hospitals immediately they notice a sign of illness.
She made this comment in one of the four videos launch by Population Communication International (PCI) Media Impact on 8th April 2016 at their Hill Cot Road Office.
Speaking at the launch, the Campaign Manager of PCI Media Impact, Abdul Jueh Jalloh explained that the videos are targeting four key thematic areas in the “Road to Recovery” project they are implementing as they contain key ebola related health messages on the following themes; not wanting to go into an ambulance because of the perception they have; the health care system and how it has improved as opposed to before the ebola outbreak; stigma and reintegration and the issue of complacency.
He said PCI Media Impact does stories that help change behaviour using radio dramas and videos to sensitize and help change social and environmental concerns across the world.
An Ambulance driver at Magburaka, Abdul Richard in one of the Videos said that people still think that since the ambulances have been used during ebola, they are not safe to use any more, advising them that “the ambulance are clean, safe and ready to use”. He advised people to have confidence in using the ambulances.
Another survivor, Aminata Kamara residing in Freetown advised on complacency stating that even though ebola has ended in Sierra Leone, the safety measures must not be overlooked. She encouraged the public to continue washing hands with soap and clean water adding that survivors must continue talking to people about ebola risks among others.
The videos also captured a positive example of a chief in Bombali who is a survivor. One of the videos showed how Chief Santigie Kargbo was warmly welcomed by his people after he was discharged from a treatment center and how he has reintegrated in the society.
As a survivor, Chief Santigie is living his normal life and doing his work as a chief. At the end of the video, the chief advised Sierra Leoneans to accept survivors and don’t forget the safety measures.
By Emmanuella Kallon
Monday April 11, 2016