Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Zhao Yanbo, yesterday launched a training of trainers programme at the Sierra Leone Library Board for nurses in the Western Area Districts.

In his remarks, he said China has been with Sierra Leone since the outbreak and they have been providing continuous assistance to curb the spread of the virus. He said 11 officials from the Chinese Center for Disease Control (CDC) will be the facilitators and coordinators of the two-day training programme. He said the men arrived last Sunday and they will be training nurses, contact tracers and other health officials around the country.

Ambassador Zhao said these men have vast knowledge in the fight of Ebola and they will pass on their knowledge to the nurses who will in turn train volunteers to work in the Ebola centers.

 He said the Chinese team is in the country to strengthen Sierra Leone’s health system and to add impetus to efforts aimed at breaking the chain of transmission of the virus. “Next week, we will be at Jui for the ceremony to launch the construction of a P3 lab that will take three months to construct. This lab is supposed to be part of the Jui hospital and will help in the fight and after the Ebola crisis; we would like to see the Jui hospital turn into a teaching hospital,” the Ambassador stated.

The Ambassador said his country has sent a substantial number of Chinese health professionals to the country to help in the fight against the Ebola virus, but that as a friend of Sierra Leone, China will not relent and will continue doing standing by the country even after the Ebola virus disease would have been completely wiped out of the country.

“China is a true friend of Sierra Leone and China will continue supporting Sierra Leone after the Ebolo crisis to help rebuild her health infrastructure to meet the health needs of the people,” Ambassador Yanbo assured. He admonished the nurses to make sure they concentrate on the training and safety guidelines that would be showed to them noting that those guidelines should be their guide, guard and mantra. He said they should be each other’s brother’s keeper and when they are ready to start training volunteers, they would be well prepared and competent to pass on what they have taught.

Ambassador Yanbo said the team training team that came in two months ago, will return to China on Saturday to be replaced by another set of trainers. He described Dr. Xiaofeng Liang as the new Coordinator taking over from Dr. Gao Fu who is a Deputy Director General in the Chinese CDC.

The Ambassador said China is a friend indeed and they will not relent as they have been working with all the international partners in winning this fight. Deputy Minister of Health II and Mayor of Freetown Franklyn Bode Gibson were present at the launching ceremony as well as Dr. Bash Taqi who studied in China and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Hussainatu Kargbo.

The training immediately started after the launching ceremony and it is expected to last for two days. Over 30 senior nurses are taking part in the training of trainers programme and they will be ready to train others when they finish. The training is ongoing at the Sierra Leone Library Board with some of the Chinese doctors from CDC conducting the training.

Friday November 14, 2014