The outbreak of coronavirus in Sierra Leone poses a serious threat to already vulnerable communities in one of the world’s poorest countries where more than 60 per cent of the population live below the poverty line.
A decade of civil conflict and a two-year battle with Ebola mean that the country’s fragile health system may struggle to cope with a surge in cases. With a population of almost eight million people, Sierra Leone has a low number of isolation and intensive care beds, and only 13 ventilators – that’s one for every 600,000 people.
Concern is using its expertise and experience in responding to the Ebola crisis to stop the spread of coronavirus and save lives.
We are supporting the Sierra Leone government to ensure that hospitals and health clinics in more than a third of country’s districts are able to continue delivering their regular health services alongside infection prevention control.
But we need your help to reach more people.
We are supporting vulnerable communities by:
- Installing 1,000 hand washing stations with soap and clean water in 50 locations
- Supplying durable infection protection materials to healthcare workers and Concern staff
- Producing educational materials on preventing the spread of coronavirus
- Training community health workers on infection control
- Engaging traditional healers to help spread important coronavirus messaging
- Distributing radios to children who are at home because of school closures so that they can continue to learn remotely
We have also adapted our long-term development programmes so that we can continue to support vulnerable communities.
We must act now to save lives and stop the spread of the disease.
Where your money goes
Our impact in 2022
extremely vulnerable people supported in 76 emergencies
people reached through our health and nutrition programmes
people reached, in 25 of the world's poorest countries
