Sierra Leone Telegraph: 17 May 2020:
Sierra Leone has today recorded one of its highest daily numbers of cases of COVID-19. According to the ministry of health, 43 people were confirmed positive in the last twenty-four hours, bringing the cumulative total number of cases to 505.
The total number of deaths is 32, with 332 now in isolation centres and 2,089 in quarantine.
Today’s report of a looming COVID-19 crisis in Sierra Leone, comes as the country confirms its first death of a doctor from the virus.
Dr. Samuel B Seisay, a specialist surgeon attached to the Department of Surgery, Connaught Hospital in Freetown, died yesterday, Saturday.
A statement published by the Junior Doctors Association of Sierra Leone (JUDASIL) says: “We note with grief and shock the passing of our senior colleague and teacher – Dr. Samuel B. Seisay, who succumbed to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the early hours of yesterday.
“A thought of comfort and condolences to the grieving family. With a heavy heart, we pray for the eternal repose of one who was a man of distinguished humanity.”
According to JUDASIL, “COVID-19 poses a threat to the well-being of the entire population, which is all the more reason we should all come together to fight this disease.”
Yesterday, there was report on news media about the appointment by president Bio, of a Nigerian medical practitioner – Dr. Laoluwa Adejayan, as the new Head of Sierra Leone’s COVID-19 Task Force, with a 100 percent increase in his salary to $20,000 a month. But this story is believed to have been denied as false by president Bio’s spokesman – Yusuf Keketoma.
The overwhelming majority of the total number of 505 COVID-19 cases confirmed in Sierra Leone so far, are in the capital Freeteown – with 412 recorded cases.
When some Forumites go low because of party extremism, we go high. How could Mr. John Julius Edwin Kallon say this -“They are, unfortunately, in the majority especially in the Western Area Urban – the epicentre of the virus”. It’s totally wrong to even think of that. Commonsense tells all of us, why the capital cities have become the epicenter of this awful disease. Could Mr. John Julius Edwin Kallon please apologize for this disgusting comment? It’s just appalling and ridiculous for Mr. John Julius Edwin Kallon to even have such thoughts. I’m on my break, but still watching the daily activities on this glorious platform.
Finally, I say thanks to all the Paramount Chiefs, the parliamentarians and the people of Kono District for taking this virus seriously and doing what is necessary to stop it from entering their communities. My advice to them is to stay alert and enforce what I could call “DAKAY, SIDOM NA YOU TOWN FOR NOW” on all the borders from Sandor to Toli chiefdom. Our paramount chiefs and parliamentarians have the capacity and capabilities to do just that. God help protect the people of KONO DISTRICT in particular and the Republic of Sierra Leone in general. Amen and Amen.
Too sad. May the soul of Dr. Seisay rest in peace. He served humanity in the best interest of his Creator, Allah. His death, as a senior doctor, reminds me of Dr. Khan in 2014, during the struggle with Ebola. May he too rest in peace. Few days ago, reports are that medical personnel are challenged with lack of enough medical equipment, coupled with no risk allowances and salaries yet to be paid by government. And now, amidst these concerns, Dr. Seisay has departed.
The million dollar question is, would his benefits be paid to his family by the government? How can a man’s risk allowances and salary be paid back, which he did not receive when he was alive. A good number of such cases are there unsettled.
Why an alleged appointment of a Nigerian Dr. to head the Corona Response Team… What is wrong with the credentials of our home doctors? We must think Salone.
This is a new disease that happens once in a life time.The last time the world experienced this type of deadly virus was the Spanish flu of 1917/18. There are still centenarians around the world who caught it and live to tell the tale. As regards my fellow countrymen and women that know the existence of COVID 19 but chose to ignore it for tribal reasons, they should be well advised to think again. The fact remains what they are doing to their communities is not only irresponsible but reckless and putting other people’s lives at risk. Despite the lockdown, I suspect they are the ones that are flaunting the rules and spreading the virus. The fact that this virus is killing people in Sierra Leone and around the world, and these people are still ignoring the warnings goes to show how our country has become so polarised. I blame the past APC-SLPP governments and the present one for the polarisation of the country’s population. People don’t trust governments anymore for looking after their interest and needs.
Over the years these two main parties through their stewardship bought untold suffering in our county. When colonel Andrew Juxon-Smith took power in 1968, he recognised the destructive nature of tribal politics. So during his tenure in office it was not an issue. It is on record it was the only time Sierra Leone enjoyed relative peace and tranquility. Back then no one ask you which tribe or political party you belong to. You just get on with your job. Its what you know not who you know that qualified you for a position. His well meaning government was too good to be true. His short lived military government was the best we ever had.
So maybe the British colonial authorities foresaw the problem of handing over power to the COUNTRY BOYS. Although the Krio people amounts to two or three percent of the population, their proven record on good governance speaks for itself. There was once a mayor in Freetown – Alfred Akibo Betts who waged war against illegal vehicle parking. He feared no one and favoured no one. The Krio language has helped unite what is a fractured society. Given the tribal politics of today can you imagine if there was no common language we speak that unite us? In our next election, lets elect our Krio brothers and sisters as our next leaders. Because it seemed they are the only neutral ones in this ongoing sorry saga in Sierra Leone tribal politics. And since majority of people speak Krio why can’t we all in the interest of peace and stability be Krio.
One of our greatest enemy is denialbility. There are still people who are notoriously down playing the existence of Covid 19. They are, unfortunately, in the majority especially in the Western Area Urban-the epicentre of the virus