By Kemo Cham
[First published on www.politicosl.com] The Sierra Leone Government last
week directed that all health facilities begin providing free health care for
Ebola survivors. The directive came after a noisy demonstration staged by the
survivors complaining neglect.
Hundreds of survivors: men, women and
children, on Monday 4 April, descended on State House holding placards with
messages drawing attention to their plight.
The protest was coordinated by the
Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors (SLAES) which listed three key
issues they were bothered about. The survivors requested support for their
welfare; they wanted action to end stigmatization faced by their members; and,
crucially, they demanded that a longstanding promise for free healthcare be
implemented.
A meeting was convened at State
House in response to the protest, and in attendance was President Ernest Bai
Koroma himself.
A statement from the presidency
later said that they had agreed to meet all the demands of the protesters.
“On the provision of healthcare, the
meeting agreed that all health facilities should provide free healthcare for
all Ebola survivors, as well as all vulnerable categories covered by the free
health care initiative,” the statement read.
It added that all district medical
officers were directed to ensure that they provide free health care for all
Ebola survivors, including specialized eye care.
“In addition, the ministry has
revised its essential drugs list, to include those used to treat unique
post-ebola complications, for which the procurement process has already been
completed.”
SLAES was also encouraged to report
all healthcare workers who deprived its members of free healthcare, so that
stringent disciplinary measures can be taken against them.
(C) Politico 13/04/16
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