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We say ‘no new troops’ from Sierra Leone

WardheerNews Editorial

Formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever and named after the Ebola River in Zaire, the Ebola virus disease first appeared in Zaire and Sudan in 1976. The recent outbreak of Ebola epidemic that started in West Africa has reached several countries including the United States, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria as well as Spain. According to the Center for the Disease Control (CDC) of the United States, as of October 15, 2014, the total reported cases for Ebola stand at 8,997, while the laboratory-confirmed cases stands at 5,006, and total reported deaths at 4,493 cases. The CDC has categorized Ebola into countries with widespread transmission such as Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia; countries with localized transmission such as Nigeria (Port Harcourt and Lagos), Spain, and the United States; and countries with travel-associated case(s) and that is exclusive to Senegal (Dakar).

Ebola AfricaWhile the world is collectively fighting to combat the spread of this debilitating virus that knows no boundaries, the impoverished and war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation of Somalia seems not to be taking the spread of Ebola seriously. Sierra Leone has troops in Somalia that fall under the mandate of AMISOM. Reports of one Sierra Leonean soldier destined for Somalia contracting the deadly virus has left Somalia in total consternation. Even though the Sierra Leonean soldier has been placed under strict supervision for twenty-one days, however, given the state of the disease’s extreme infectious nature, WDN is concerned about the spread of the virus with the other soldiers that the identified soldier may have had contact with or carry this deadly silent disease without any symptoms.

Contrary to deployment of any new contingency troops from Sierra Leone to Somalia, President Hassan in his recent trip to Washington, DC leading the Somali delegation for the August 4-6 US – Africa Summit, made news in his “no new soldiers from Sierra Leone” response to a question asked by WDN on the issue of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, particularly the proposed measures taken by his government to contain the disease considering the contingency of troop rotation from Sierra Leon as part of AMISOM troops. The President said “as a precaution my administration in collaboration with the AU stopped the rotation of the troops from Sierra Leon.”

Several African countries including the biggest Africa economies such as South Africa and Kenya who are better equipped to deal with the deadly Ebola virus than beleaguered Somalia, banned movements of people from West African countries that are battling with Ebola. Given that a Sierra Leonean soldier inbound to Somali is now tested positive for Ebola virus, it’s critical that deployment of new troops to Somali from Sierra Leone be halted.

According to the CDC, symptoms of Ebola often appear between two to twenty-one days after exposure. Recuperation from this deadly disease depends on the type of supportive care received by the victim and the patient’s immune system’s response to medication. Although there are several promising drugs for Ebola treatment that are currently underway, no specific treatment for the disease is yet available. The current mortality rate of the Ebola virus in West Africa is about 70%.

There is a chance that the infected Sierra Leonean Soldier may have prior contacts with other soldiers in his contingent, who also may carry the virus without symptoms. The only way to find out is to have all soldiers to go through 21 days quarantine. Thus, WDN calls for the African Union and the government of Somalia to stop the rotation of the troops and ban any new troops from Sierra Leon to be deployed to Somalia until the Ebola’s threat is laid to rest.

Somalis stand with their brothers in West Africa in their battle against this deadly disease and appreciate the support they provided against the fight with Al-Shabab militant group.

WardheerNews
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