By Musa Kamara
Unlike the Ebola virus, but as for the novel coronavirus, we clearly saw it coming. We were glued to radios, televisions, newspapers, and the social media platforms, where much was said about the coronavirus.
This virus as it was later called, COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO), it get nations across the world crumbling under it grasp; even the greatest of economies were short of words as the death toll of citizens rose beyond their imaginations.
Sierra Leone, like other Africa nations, saw this coming. President Julius Maada Bio in his state address said that, “…it is just a matter of when.” My expectation was that, as a nation, there were lessons learnt from the Ebola outbreak and I was expecting “solid infrastructure backed by robust measures,” in curbing the “pandemic” as it was later described by WHO because of the magnitude of threat it poses to human life.
As with Ebola, the coronavirus also penetrated from our neighbouring countries of Guinea and Liberia and President Bio’s pronouncement of “…it is just a matter of when,” was becoming visible.
Finally, it struck our nation and President Bio had this to say, “…the when has finally come.” Though our health infrastructure was weak, but I was expecting much from our state actors because, “we saw it coming.” What happened and what is continuing to manifest is an embarrassment to our healthcare system.
Can we really trust our test kits? I am not sure that the virus affects Africans; the virus can not kill Africans; visible signs are not strange; alcohol consumption is a possible remedy; poor wash conditions in quarantined facilities, delay in test result; stigmatization, the government is bent on money making out of the covid-19, etc. Such was and is still the mixed feelings and the bone of contention from the general public.
My bone of contention here is: why is it that our index case comes from a Sierra Leonean who travelled by flight into the country and not from our porous borders? Let us take a close look at our porous borders. I am with the conviction that the coronavirus was in the country way before the index case was announced.
Sierra Leone has over 100 crossing points and most of these border crossing points are not manned by security and health personnel. Or how patriotic are some of these security personnel to the service of their nation?
Evidently, the country’s health infrastructure is not yet out of the woods. What I always say is that Freetown is not Sierra Leone, and it is of essence for all across the country to be counted when it comes to healthcare treatment. The coronavirus as with Ebola has exposed the country’s weak health infrastructure.
Scientists across the world are still on the quest as to what could be the possible cause for the novel coronavirus and the cure that follows; but as it stands now, nations are only told to follow the WHO “Guidelines or Precautionary Measures” against the coronavirus.
Sierra Leone as per the additional measures declared by the New Direction Government has to do with, inter-districts lockdown, the closure of mosques and churches, public use of face masks, curfew, to name but a few.
My question now is: have these measures curb the spread of coronavirus? What I always see and feel when I am out in the streets is nothing good to mention. If I could advise the government on the “Restriction Measures,” it has to be on the area of transportation.
Transportation is a very big infrastructure that little or less attention is given. As a patriotic citizen hoping for the better, it would pain you to see people madly rushing to secure a commercial vehicle for home or work. These mad rushes mostly come about when the time for curfew is fast approaching. It is really disgusting to have a curfew that runs from 9:00pm to 6:00am. For most, the bone of contention is the 9:00pm.
Now, we have more than a thousand confirmed cases in the country and to be honest with you, I am yet to see cases fallen down.
