Attachments
Highlights
As preparations for the safe reopening of schools begin, the National Ebola Response Centre (NERC), with the MoHS and partners, have initiated the process for the closure of select Ebola Care Centers (ECCs) including Community Care Centers (CCCs). Of the 46 CCCs currently supported by UNICEF, 18 are planned to be closed. The selected 18 CCCs are those adjacent to or on school grounds as well as those located in close proximity to an ETC. In each district, the District Health Management Team (DHMT), in collaboration with the District Ebola Response Centre (DERC) Social Mobilization pillar, is leading discussions with the community on this transitioning process with the support of UNICEF’s implementing partners, in order to ensure that communities are fully engaged, just as when the CCCs were first constructed.
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Biometric re-verification of all Ebola Response Workers, led by the NERC with support from UNDP and UNMEER, in collaboration with technical experts from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), has been completed across 14 districts in Sierra Leone, with 11 different pay partners reporting through the National Hazard Payroll System; February Hazard Payments will implement the revised Hazard eligibility amount and apply the retainer rates for zero confirmed EVD cases for more than 15 days in districts, which means four districts will be moved to retainer rates: Bo, Bonthe, Kailahun, and Pujehun.
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UNMEER Information Management Unit organized a mapping and mobile data collection workshop in collaboration with the National Emergency Response Center (NERC), and the Combined Joint Interagency Taskforce. Over 70 people from government institutions and national and international agencies attended. The goal of the workshop was to introduce participants to tools that can help them in their day to day activities and covered open-source concepts and technologies for mapping and mobile data collection. UNMEER will continue organizing a monthly technical workshop tailored to the needs expressed by the participants.
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The TKM-Ebola study, an Ebola Therapeutic drug, has been approved by both the Ethics and Regulatory board. TKM-Ebola was ranked as one of the most promising drugs for treating Ebola by WHO’s independent group of experts. The study is scheduled to start by early March. Due to the declining case numbers in Sierra Leone, the study team is hoping to work in at least 2-3 ETCs in the Western and Port Loko Areas.
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During the past week, the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) deepened a total of three water wells at facilities to ensure a continuous water supply in the dry season. In addition, five 5,000-litre tanks have been installed to provide water to Ebola-affected communities and more than 1.1 million liters of water were delivered to affected communities, including to ETCs.