A little humor?

Stay Strong

False Jubilation...

Ebola update... rough day in makeni sierra leone. Erant word of an end to ebola came out and people took to the streets dancing. Breaking the quarantine and no touching each other rules.. could be disasterous. But there is so much pent up need for something exciting, something to dance about, to hug someone about. Imagone being confined to you home indefinitely, to your room, not able to even touch anyone, hug your children or spouse, not to be able to comfort them if they get sick, or even put yoir hand on their shoulder. All human contact is basically forbidden...... imagine life like that. And then imagine starving on top of it. 

Here is a report on what happened today:
"This is what they said happen. The situation guys is under control. Some people were released today from quarantine in Makeni and because they came out clean of Ebola after the 21 days stipulated time, they started dancing and jubilating that Ebola is gone. Others joined in the celebration, including Okada riders who have a unique way of jubilating.

Interestingly, something similar to this happened on Saturday around the Grey Bush area in Freetown. Something is going on and we need to carefully monitor the situation.

Tune in to SLBC TV now as they are discussing the issue with their correspondent in the northern City of Makeni"

Their is such misunderstanding of the disease, the biology of such things in general... 

Stolen Rice?!

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
The food situation is becoming dire. With the economy stopped and most of the country under restricted movement and/or quarantine, food and the means to buy it is greatly reduced. The below is a press release that appears to show that the ACC (anti-coruption commision) and the police taking food destined for quarantined areas.... sad. They need food.

Date: 28th September 2014
PRESS RELEASE
ACC INTERCEPTS 4250kgs OF RICE SUPPLY MEANT FOR EBOLA QUARANTINED HOMES
At about 20-21:00hrs on Saturday 27th September 2014, the ACC together with other stakeholders including the Sierra Leone Police and the Health For All Coalition (HFAC), intercepted two vehicles; a Salini Salcost vehicle with registration number ACW 443 driven by one John Sesay and a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number 73CD24 driven by one Edith J. Kargbo of WFP.
At the time of interception around Watson Street, Masuba, in the Makeni Township, the suspects were actively involved at odd hours contrary to WFP operational procedures transferring 50kg bags of rice from the truck to the WFP Toyota Land Cruiser. A total of 69bags of rice were found in the Salcost vehicle, while 16 bags, which is about 800kgs of rice, were loaded in the WFP vehicle, purportedly for distribution to quarantined homes. The exercise was taking place in the absence of other members of the EOC.
The Makeni Police Division, headed by LUC G.M Turay, the ACC and ONS are investigating the matter. Meanwhile, the drivers of the two vehicles, the DMO, the District Nutritionist and the WFP Programme Assistant in the region, Mahmood Kamara, are helping the Police with the investigations.

Sign: ……………………………….. Sign:…………………………………..
Patrick Sandi, Deputy Director, ASP Ibrahim Samura
Public Education and Outreach Department Head of Media and Public Relations
Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone Police

Os to Os

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
"Just now: 11 homes to have been under quarantining are still not quarantined in lunsar. The blood samples results from the 21st to date indicates 11 homes in lunsar had confirmed ebola patients some of whom are undergoing treatment whiles other are dead. When I spoke with the CHO in lunsar this morning he said they are only waiting on the availability of food before they can start the quarantining of these homes. He acknowledged the fact that they posed a very serious threat now in the community to spreading the virus since they are unrestrictively moving all and about. 
It could also be recalled the stake holders in this community are still to account for 300 bags of rice giving them for the disabled and quarantined homes before the ose to ose sensitization program."

Help?!

Ebola:

"The situation in Sierra Leone is very worse; we are still calling on your help. Many people here now just don't die because of Ebola Disease but hunger as well. From all indications and preventive measures, one of the grounded rules is to Avoid Body Contact which involves less or no interaction with people, many people are dead and hundreds hospitalised with very crucial conditions. Few days back from 19th to 21st September, 2014. Government enacted a three days lock down nationwide as a strategy to reduce the spread of the disease and contain the virus. Speaking with coach Eto a local football coach here in Makeni, he told me for the rest of the three days he and his five children and wife survived with two cups of rice each day when they use to eat five cups each day, ''my family is unhealthy, my wife is sick, and our hunger might result to Ebola because when one is sick, the symptoms of Ebola shows, I am a Football coach, it is my occupation, it is my where I do survive, but now all Soccer activities have been suspended. Where could I earn money for me and my family? I don't Know, I am calling on the help of generous people so I can survive.

This story is very similar to most people (street children, polio persons, leprosy patient and many more others).

Aibia-Salone is kindly requesting assisting from generous people like you to provide food and water for these vulnerable persons.

We have an account with details as follows;

Bank Name: Guaranty Trust Bank (SL) Ltd
Name of Account: Aibia-Salone
Account Number: 3502410110"

FUNDS TRANSFER INSTRUCTION 
TRANSFER OF USD/GBP/EUR THROUGH GUARANTY TRUST BANK (UK) LIMITED CORRESPONDENT BANK 

CORRESPONDENT BANK’ 
GUARANTY TRUST BANK (UK) LIMITED 
LONDON W1W8TF 
UNITED KINGDOM 
SWIFT CODE GT3IGB2L 

BENEFICIARY BANK 
GUARANTY TRUST BANK (SL) LTD 
SWIFT COOE GTBISLFR 

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 
901/10017/002/5033/00 USD 
901/10017/003/5033/00 GBP 
901/10017/0046/5033/00 EUR

Sierra Leone: "25 Sept 3 Dead 75 new cases. Last 5 days (Sun 21 to Thur 25) 251 new cases. World Bank doubles Ebola Aid to $ 400m (new $ 170m). New China Mobile Bio-Safety Level III Lab arrives to start work in 3 days (Awoko)"

Quarantine...

Ebola update from Sierra Leone: 
"Sierra Leone has ordered the quarantine "with immediate effect" of three districts and 12 tribal chiefdoms - affecting more than one million people - in the largest lockdown in West Africa's deadly Ebola outbreak. President Ernest Bai Koroma, in a national televised address, announced that the northern districts of Port Loko and Bombali were to be closed off along with the southern district of Moyamba - effectively sealing off around 1.2 million people. With the eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun already under quarantine, more than a third of the population, in five of the nation's 14 districts, now finds itself unable to move freely.  "The isolation of districts and chiefdoms will definitely pose great difficulty but the lives of everyone and the survival of our country takes precedence over these difficulties," Mr Koroma said. "These are trying moments for everyone in the country." The deadliest Ebola epidemic on record has infected almost 6,000 people in West Africa and killed nearly half of them, according to the World Health Organisation's latest figures. The virus can fell its victims within days, causing rampant fever, severe muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and – in many cases – unstoppable internal and external bleeding."

The Real Cost of Ebola

Wow.. a truly moving and astute take on the real toll of Ebola. "imagine: You are a parent whose child has suddenly come ill with a fever. Do you cast your child away and refuse to touch him? Do you cover your face and your arms? Stay back! Unclean! Or do you comfort your child when he asks for you, arms outstretched, to make the pain go away?"

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2014/09/why_ebola_is_terrifying_and_dangerous_it_preys_on_family_caregiving_and.html

A final walk...

What happens to this women? She's suspected to have Ebola... probably dead within a few days. If she had decent food, fluids, and medical attention she might make, maybe. But without that she's simply paraded through the city by some protected head to toe for people to take pictures of.... how long we will allow this to go on?

Donate?

I just got another message from my partner in sierra leone. They need help desperatly. "the situation in Sierra Leone is becoming worse even though government is trying there best to contain the Ebola Virus yet a lot of problems still stands, many are hungry with no food and water and peoples movement restricted, no market activities and food government cant provide we're seeking donations to help people with food and water, people especially the physically challenge (polio persons, blind, leprosy patient) and street children please help us provide food for people." We can help them. If anyone can help with even 5, 10, 20 dollars we can get some food for people. You can donate a couple dollars at www.walkinglion.org and click on the donate button on the right hand side. Im going to send whatever we can get straight to them hopefully tomorrow, but its easier/better to send one large sum as it costs for each transfer... please help. And please "like" this and write comments so more people will see it... 

Check out today's ny times article as well:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/09/20/world/africa/ebola-outbreak.html?referrer=