Avoiding Ebola – how this Chiefdom in Sierra Leone did it

UNICEF CONNECT blogs.unicef.org                                                         April 15, 2015

by Margaret James, a Health Officer with UNICEF, Sierre Leone

When I first heard in February that Lugbu chiefdom was one of the few in Bo District, Sierra Leone, that had not recorded a single case of Ebola, my interest was immediately triggered. On 2 March 2015 we got to visit the chiefdom’s main town, Sumbuya, for several hours of meetings with local leaders, youth, a traditional healer and business people to find out more.

Lugbu chiefdom has several entry points and can be accessed by both land and water. (c)UNICEF Sierra Leone

In our quest for answers, we got permission from the local Paramount Chief, (PC) Mohamed Allie Nallo, who gave his blessing and got in touch with key people to help us in our research. We held group meetings, one-on-one interviews and even carried out spot visits.

It is important to understand these community success stories to see the sorts of indigenous responses to Ebola that are being developed. You can build as many Ebola Treatment Centres as you want, but if communities aren’t engaged in the fight little progress will be made.
....In my notebook, I wrote downthree important responses:

• Early acceptance by the chiefdom population of the reality of Ebola
• Strict enforcement of the chiefdom by-laws
• Good/strict neighbourhood watch

To ensure the involvement of all, the traditional leadership developed their own form of a ‘cluster’ approach. They set up five main chiefdom committees: a Chiefdom Taskforce and then groups for sensitization, oversight, surveillance, and discipline....

Read complete blog.

http://blogs.unicef.org/2015/04/15/avoiding-ebola-how-this-chiefdom-in-sierra-leone-did-it/