Below is a tweeter post by:
#WHODiane: It’s also small unexpected things that make this assignment fun
- “Some challenges moving around in the field are definitely different from those that I encounter in my work at the WHO Regional Office in Copenhagen. Today they include the delays caused by waiting for young goats to stop 'ramming' into each other in the middle of the highway.”
#WHODiane: Contract tracers – increasingly involved in active Ebola surveillance
- 5 March 2015
- “The magnitude of this outbreak of Ebola virus disease has required an enormous response. The key to stopping the outbreak has been identifying cases early, isolating them, quarantining and monitoring high-risk contacts, and maintaining surveillance for new cases - all around the country at the same time. This task has involved thousands of people all working together - people from all walks of life.
- Together with my colleague from UNFP I recently met with local contact tracers to discuss how they could assist in active surveillance in their villages. Normally after every new case of Ebola virus disease, contact tracers monitor their high-risk contacts for 21 days for any signs of the disease. However, as the number of new cases falls, contact tracers can now use their time to look for new cases of Ebola.”
#WHODiane: The mining industry in Sierra Leone is restarting
- 4 March 2015
- The Ebola crisis has had devastating effects on the economies of affected countries.
- “Sierra Leone is rich in mineral deposits of iron ore, diamonds, gold, bauxite, rutile and limonite, but industries such as mining had to shut down earlier during this crisis as measures were put into place to limit the spread of disease. Only now, as travel restrictions have eased and we are seeing fewer cases of Ebola Virus Disease, are these industries starting production again.
- Eastern Sierra Leone is famous for its gem-quality diamonds. As you travel around the area you can see evidence of this in the many shops buying diamonds for export and the mining fields. We passed a mining field on our way to visit a village affected by Ebola.”
#WHODiane: WHO provides vital technical support in infection prevention and control
- 3 March 2015
- “This week I have been out with an infection prevention and control (IPC) specialist. We visited community health care centres to assess their IPC practices and training, and identify ways that WHO can continue to provide assistance.
- For example, my colleague spent time with the local Community Health Officer at one community health centre, reviewing patient flow through the Ebola holding centre at the facility. This centre installed bamboo fencing to make paths to direct patients to the appropriate areas of the facility and ensure correct patient flow.”
- During this outbreak, WHO is providing technical support in in the area of infection prevention and control. In an Ebola outbreak it a critical part of keeping staff and patients safe."
#WHODiane extends her assignment in Sierra Leone for another week
- 2 March 2015
- Diane, who was due to return to Denmark this week, will extend her assignment as Kenema Field Coordinator in Sierra Leone for another week, to complete existing tasks and brief her replacement.
- 1 March 2015
- This is the time of the year for harmatten to blow through Sierra Leone. It is a dry wind carrying dust from the Sahara.
- When this wind combines with the smoke from cooking fires and agricultural burning, and dust kicked up from the dry soil, the haze can be so thick here that sometimes it is difficult to even see the hills less than a kilometre away. It does however create some beautiful sunsets.
- 27 February 2015
- "To get to the neighbouring village to investigate the source of a new case of Ebola virus disease, we could either cross the river in dugout canoes and walk 2 km through the forest, or walk back 0.5 km to the village and drive for another 2 hours. The terrain here is one of the challenges of the Ebola response."
- 26 February 2015
- “In this part of Sierra Leone, keeping people in their homes when they are quarantined because of high risk exposure to the Ebola virus is done by roping off the area around their house with tape or string.
- Of course this isn't much of a physical barrier - it is more of a reminder for the household members to stay in the quarantine area and for neighbours to stay out. It's always a joyous time when the tape comes down at the end of the quarantine period.”
- 25 February 2015
- “Many villages in Sierra Leone do not have access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation. In one village where I went to monitor the Ebola quarantine process, the young men used their time to improve the health of their community.
- Since their village had no toilets, they decide to build latrines using materials donated by NGOs participating in the Ebola response. Now, thanks to the hard work of these young men, their community will be a cleaner and safer place to live.”
- 24 February 2015
- “When every new Ebola case is identified we must quickly investigate in order to interrupt the chain of transmission. We try to determine how the person was infected, who they were in close contact with and what we can do to prevent the disease from spreading further. This requires a rapid response to every new case. Rugged terrain and poor road infrastructure can make this a significant challenge.
- Sadly, after weeks of no new Ebola cases, we had a new case this week in the far reaches of Kenema District. We had to travel roughly 150km into the hills to reach the village - and it took over 4 hours to get there.”
- 23 February 2015
- The latest Ebola situation report from 18 February 2015 states that following the steep decline in case incidence in Sierra Leone from December until the end of January, incidence has now stabilized.
- A total of 76 cases were reported in the week to 8 February, a decrease from the 80 confirmed cases reported in the week to 1 February, but higher than the 65 confirmed cases reported in the week to 25 January.
- Transmission remains widespread, with 7 districts reporting new confirmed cases. A total of 41 unsafe burials were reported in the week to 8 February.
- 22 February 2015
- “The phrase ‘dog days’ refers to those long hot, sultry days of summer, and I can see why. It's been in the mid-30s Celsius here (that's in the 90s Fahrenheit) and what better way to spend a blisteringly hot, humid day than the way these two Sierra Leonean dogs are doing it....napping in the shade.”
- 21 February 2015
- “We drive through a local market in town on our way to our morning meeting. It’s bustling with people of all ages and seems to get busier every day that I am here.
- It is open every day except Sunday. In the market you can find all kinds of things - fruits and vegetables are sold next to shoes, clothes and bolts of cloth, housewares and auto parts, and electronics. They sell from stalls and small shops and some people walk along the street selling from baskets and trays they carry on their head.”
- 20 February 2015
- “I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to any children, as my work in the field as part of case investigation or following the response teams is not the best time to chat.
- The children I have seen are doing chores, helping take care of their siblings, and helping out with the family business. They do have radio and TV programmes to help kids keep up with some school lessons every day.”
- In Guinea, where schools reopened in January, WHO worked with partners, assisting the Government to put measures in place to make it possible to reopen safely.
- 19 February 2015
- “Surprisingly one of the things that I have actually had trouble getting used to is living and working in an all cash economy. This can actually make getting things done rather complicated.
- One US dollar is worth over 4,000 Leones (Sierra Leone’s currency unit).
- For instance, when we held a large, multi-day training recently I had to get 'bags of cash' from the bank to pay for the hotel, food, per diem, fees and expenses. I knew I was in trouble when I went to the bank to pick up the money needed for the meeting - over 40 million Leones - and they wheeled it out on a trolley.
![Facebook User, Okoronkwo Ejike Who Claims Nathaniel Bassey Fathered Mercy Chinwo's Son, Has Dragged The Singer And Pastor Enenche of Dunamis [Pictures]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym2gjSUmfIWkL2oqRraZ6H7y1gTCgpZZEkK6WrTF1GtfoH3FQb0u6BARDDaN-AS_TZ6zsRCEGcYP3HZ6gEOktbE4UxKlYk2FKumh-AOfM6XQHJ5botO_ie8xasFMlLSH3Qmdrv0vziOxMkUpP1ZS7ujK7yP0nlo0UdAoEeUf8KTxy8NwGXRMLukF2TVw/s72-w640-c-h358/Mercy+PstE.png)
![Sam Raimi Eyed to Direct "Spider-Man 4" as Director Search Intensifies [Video]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9hyphenhyphenG8FDKfWRZo0uvS7BUNFqEq92yy98HXM2jOJ-Vzc462sNW6iw8pE7arxeix4LG05jb4aEwpL3Ikb5shuXdpAFKNZa-vfwo9QcpceEA04zEfTxAKp94Kyy6ZZRA3X66bbPQmEUAgOA2v8rsc7tRGMvY1X_IY7mKfaFGJ8ho30Nj5i8LaZjnJZP2GkM/s72-w640-c-h352/Spiderman%204.png)
![VeryDarkMan Visits Viral Chinese Supermarket Fault Nigerians, Media Personality Tackles Him Over Claim [Videos]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQX3xClM5At2gXxcwT4kxUzmeFZGPCaLjVWjMP-pMXZZWfZTWXJYBxSeCFEV6lri02T3F6o4FT33NkR7rOsvXbS8i2ZQVx_dVWS_7wVwBPaIswBFEWL6Rp_yhPzKSuPOA6tK8GZafTcFjONm8CZ9bs57u_qk2oAqa19A8bBXO6wD7CeHBFsXV9p32Fzk/s72-w640-c-h320/VDM+Oluchi.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment