EVD Outbreak, Covid-19 Outbreak and Mpox Outbreak in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone as a country has experienced many outbreaks before the establishment of the U Team SL as a volunteer youth-led organization. Since then, our establishment as an organization saw the advent of EVD (Ebola Virus Diseases) Outbreak in 2014, Covid-19 and the current Mpox Outbreak which affected the country’s health system including the economic, education, social, political, security and other development concerns. It is more than dreadful moments for all citizens seeing national progress sinking as a result of disease outbreaks. These are the most terrible tenures citizens will wish not to have experienced to any further extent. More or less, looking forward to the dawn of the new era; coupled up with severe drugs and substance abuse and delay in compliance of rehabilitation for mental health concerns, the struggle still continues for citizens to be able to achieve their developmental growth agenda, with the advent of EVD Outbreak, Covid-19 Outbreak and Mpox Outbreak. 

Challenges Involved

• The knowledge base of the community people on Outbreaks is very weak
• Weak medical system to contain the viruses across the country is always poor at first.
• Community people always abandonee healthcare facilities which leads to the spread of even other communicable  diseases within the country.
• Lack of logistical support (Ambulance for referral and other vehicles for sensitizations)
• Inadequate personnel to tackle the viruses are much of a problem in across the country.
• Geographical settings in the country always stop health workers to access hard to reach areas more especially riverine communities.
• Lack of free essential drugs for survivors and other categories of people pose a very serious treat across the country.
• Misconception by the community people on healthcare givers are also another major challenge in the Ebola, Covid-19 and Mpox fights within the country.
• Inadequate resources to motivate volunteers and community members
• Lack of adequate power of coordination, collaboration and communication among partners
• Too much bureaucracy from the side of government and partners in programs implementations
• Acceptance of survivors into their communities are also a great challenge. E.G. Stigmatization and Shame. 

Actions By Young People

• Trained as Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Community Mobilizers as contact tracers/active case searchers in all PHUs in the country
• Involved in community mobilization, sensitization and awareness raising programs through community, radio, TVs, and other Social Media Outlets
• Involvement of chiefdom monitors as active case searchers in their respective communities.
• Work with District Task Forces  and Chiefdom Taskforces
• Trained as response providers / as surveillance officers
• Worked in all pillars in active operation to combat outbreaks
• Act as case investigators at community levels
• Performed the role as burial teams responding to community burials
• Attended daily briefing at task force levels in the various districts
• Alert , sample collection and case investigation teams in place
• Community participation very active in surveillance

• Engaged in neighborhood watch and House-to-House searching
• Attended National and International Cross-Border Meetings
• Strengthening of medical Screening of passengers to and from Liberia
• Conducted thorough identification and visitation to Hot Spot areas (Epi- Centres)
• Identification and visit of Front Line Chiefdoms bordering Hot Spots districts
• Touring of Hot Spot chiefdoms and districts
• Conducted stakeholder’s engagement and dialogue on actions
• Distribution of IEC Materials and Face marks to community structures and people
• All actions reported to Task Force for further action
• Robust manning of Ebola Check Points, Enforcement of Bye laws and support to the
• U Team SL distributed copies of the Bye Laws and Face marks to all Youth structures throughout Pujehun district

Sustainability of Achievements

• Local Authorities to take ownership of the current gains
• Intensification of Neighborhood Watch by Youth and community people
• Enforcement of the Statute and Bye laws
• Close collaboration and coordination of neighboring districts In Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea
• Maintaining about 20 chiefdom checkpoints for screening program in each district
• Formation of chiefdom social mobilizers to be championed by young people
• Capacity building and training opportunity to youth in the frontline and healthcare service providers
• Provision of adequate drugs and structures to combat immediate and future outbreaks
• Effective and efficient coordination, collaboration and communication among MDAs and partners
• Strengthen resource mobilization and standby budget basket to combat outbreaks
• Provide motivational opportunity to volunteers