Thursday 1 July 2021, Freetown: As Sierra Leone battles her third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Sierra Leone with funding from our partners – GIZ and the German Cooperation - have once again supported the Ministry of Health and Sanitation with a donation of essential laboratory supplies that will help the country to respond to the third wave. The supplies include 82,000 sample collection kits; 1,620 automated PCR Kits (GeneXpert); and 10,000 antigen-based rapid diagnostic test kits (Ag-RDTs), altogether valued at $195,284.

In his statement, the WHO Country Representative Dr. Steven Shongwe reminded everyone of the grim numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths around the world and, in Sierra Leone. “As of 30th June 2021, there were 5,575 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 100 deaths, in Sierra Leone.  The country recently confirmed community circulation of the highly transmissible delta variant of the virus. To this effect, 13 out of 16 districts have reported cases in the last 7 days with a 10.3% positivity rate. We are obviously experiencing a third wave of COVID-19”, said Dr. Shongwe.

Dr. Shongwe emphasized that the only way we can beat the virus is to continue and enhance adherence to the containment measures including: social distancing, proper wearing of face-masks, washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizers and taking the vaccine.

The German Ambassador, His Excellency Horst Gruner, expressed profound gratitude for the support the German Government, through GIZ, accorded to Sierra Leone in the fight against COVID-19, even as Germany also fights to get rid of the virus in their own country. He further appreciated the collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone and with WHO. He assured the continued support of the German government to Sierra Leone.

While making his remarks, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby, also thanked GIZ and WHO for the timely and reliable collaborations that support his ministry and the people of Sierra Leone. Dr. Demby used the opportunity to call on the media to play their part in the fight against the spread of the virus, especially in driving vaccine uptake, and ensuring adherence to the containment measures.

“We need these laboratory supplies to be able to sustain and increase our testing in response to this emergency. To win this battle, we equally need to encourage our people to follow the science – continue wearing face-masks, wash or sanitize hands, keep social distance, and take the vaccine. The vaccine will reduce the chances of one becoming critically ill even if one catches the virus”, said Dr. Demby