Can someone remind President Koroma that he is the president for all Sierra Leoneans. President Koroma is seen here not jeopardizing his life in the northern province, the region of his birth. Back in July Abdul Fonti wrote: Jeopardizing President Koroma’s Life By Abdul Fonti President Ernest Bai Koroma and his government have been seriously criticized and lambasted for their actions and inactions in the battle to contain the deadly Ebola virus in the country. It would be unfair to say the Government of Sierra Leone has done nothing to fight ebola; but fair enough to state the reality that the government has not done enough to give Ebola a chase. In summary, the Ernest Bai Koroma led government has failed to make the required impact in the fight against a disease that has killed so many Sierra Leoneans in so short a time. While a school of thought will associate this national failure with the initial actions of the government that were deemed political and egoistic, others will simply say the government is confused. It would not be unwise to state that the government has failed in this fight because of the following reasons. The failure of the government to put border measures in place to prevent migration of the disease from Guinea and Liberia to Sierra Leone serves as a major blunder of which posterity will judge this set of leaders. It was also a blunder to move infected Ebola patients from Kailahun to Kenema when the disease struck Kailahun. Health experts have disclosed that it would have made sense to establish an isolation center in Kailahun and quarantine patients in the said center instead of moving the disease from Kailahun to Kenema. The circulation of the disease from Kailahun to other parts of the country might have been averted if the government had not wasted time to declare a health emergency in the Kailahun district at the formative stages of the virus. The lateness and almost failure of the President to issue a statement on the outbreak of the disease and pledge commitment of the government towards the fight might have contributed to the reality of now. Lack of proper sensitization on the virus is still a major challenge in this fight. And above all, the government is still contemplating on whether or not to declare a national health emergency on Ebola. The aforementioned shortcomings of the government notwithstanding, it becomes a serious cause for concern when the citizens allow emotions and vexations to force them to make requests or demands that somehow puts the life of the President at risk. The motives of individuals, groups and institutions are brought to questions when there is an insistence for the President to throw all caution to the wind and storm the high risk ebola areas of Kenema and Kailahun. The problem of Sierra Leoneans not knowing exactly what we want and what to ask for have been among the reasons for the retrogression of our country and why the politicians always take us for granted. Have we asked ourselves of what importance will President Koroma’s visit to those areas create in this fight? In my personal view, it will create zero or even a more disastrous impact if the President undertakes such a venture. President Koroma’s visit will not inspire doctors and nurses to go to work and save lives, neither will it encourage infected patients to stay alive. We should make realistic demands and requests to guide our leaders in desperate times like this. It is patriotic and sensible to support a petition for President Koroma to cancel all his international trips and stay in Sierra Leone with his people to fight this plague. It makes sense to pressure our leaders to raise salaries and establish risk allowances for frontline Ebola health workers. We should insist that the government and other health partners provide protective gears for health workers. It will not be unwise to call on the government to use ‘Ebola funds’ to provide food, clothing and beddings for Ebola patients, instead of sharing that money among themselves under the guise of sensitization. The citizens should support a petition for the President to declare Ebola a national health emergency in Sierra Leone. President Koroma will be celebrated if he decides to cancel his forthcoming U.S trip in solidarity with Ebola patients and health workers putting their lives on the line to save the lives of fellow Sierra Leoneans. But the President will have himself to blame if he ventures into Kailahun or Kenema or anywhere near Ebola high risk areas. That is my view. Blamas Finest, The Man Who Conjures Something Out Of Nothing!!!
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 19:31:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015