May 10, 2021
Albert Baron Ansu
Question posed at the weekly Ministry of Information Press Conference about whether there are plans to stop Indian Nationals from coming to Sierra Leone has been rejected.
Deputy Information Minister Solomon Jamiru has described the issue as sensitive and government is still studying it to come out with a position.
He says even as the situation in Indian has overwhelmed the country to the extent that crematorium and medical wherewithal are inadequate to cope with the new wave of COVID 19 outbreak, it is quite unlikely that desperate actions can be taken to affect Sierra Leoneans.
He says people have to remember that there are Sierra Leoneans in those COVID 19 hot spots that include Brazil and Turkey and coming out with a traveling advisory that restrict nationals of those country from traveling to Sierra Leone can be counterproductive, “as it has wider ramifications.”
He suggests that the best option is to intensify screening regimes at the airport, stressing Sierra Leone and India have excellent bilateral relationship.
In a related development it has been disclosed that Sierra Leone now has available Ebola vaccines that will be ring administered. According to Dr. James Russel, WHO has approved Johnson and Johnson 800o doses of the Ebola vaccines that will not target everybody in the first instance.
Health care workers and Okada riders will be among those that are going to be targeted for the vaccine and even those with HIV AIDS condition will be considered. The planned vaccination will run for four to six weeks and it is expected that more of the said Ebola vaccines will be brought in the country to benefit citizens.
Based on DR Congo experience, it has been revealed that the Ebola vaccine certified by World Health Organization poses no threat to those who take the jab.