Sierra Leonean president launches new treatment center

Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma on Wednesday officially launched a 100 bed treatment center built by the British contingent to help in the fight against the Ebola virus.
The center has already started operations with the first 30 patients.
The Head of state described it as "world class", noting that it will help in no small measure to ease the pressure on both bed and lab capacities in the on-going fight to eradicate the disease.
This is most impressive, the Head of State went on, adding that "I am sure that it will help in addressing the challenging Ebola fight we have ahead of us".
He thanked the British for the timely support and praised the tireless efforts and collaboration between the Sierra Leone Army, the British Department of International Development (DFID) and the local personnel on the ground.
Predsident Koroma hoped that the on-going efforts being made and the unrelenting commitment of his government and its partners, the fight will soon be won.
The Project Director of the Kerrytown treatment center, Andy Mason, who led the president on a tour of the facilities, including the isolation unit, recovery unit among others, informed the President that 150 Sierra Leoneans were employed and trained to work in the facility.
The head of state was also taken to the area where the clinical waste was destroyed and burnt to ensure that the waste does not contaminate the site.
The DFID focal point man for Ebola said the laboratory capacity at the moment was 300 samples a day, but will be expanded to 500 samples a day.
He stated that they were at present putting in efforts to have similar facilities in Makeni and Port Loko in the north.