From outside of Sierra Leone it may be hard to understand why it takes so long to get our initiatives launched. However small the operation, such as our CCCs, it needs a constellation of stars to align: Ministry of Health and community agreement and support, a water supply, payment for staff, ORS, staff trained in PPE, tents, latrines, showers, beds, mattresses, expert oversight and lots more. I admire agencies like WFP and UNHCR who can set up small towns in isolated regions of the globe to assist refugees and migrants, seemingly overnight. I now know how complex this can be!

Today, at the dry run for our first CCC, which opens on Monday, there was a large cast of interested parties: WHO,
UK Aid, Plan International, Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (who will supply medics at first, for mentorship and assessment), Partners in Health, The Kings Partnership (UK), the African Development Bank, the Paramount Chief and the BBC. I will be back for the launch. It has to go well.

More support has arrived from the UK, including a ship anchored offshore with armed forces personnel and helicopters. How can the British National Health Service send in 160 medical and nursing staff while other countries, apart from Cuba, China and the USA, are only represented by volunteers? NGOs abound, while countries are few.

Certain states seem to actively cutting themselves off. Australia and Canada’s actions to not offer visas to nationals from affected countries is being interpreted as not adhering to the International Health Regulations. A colleague from the UK working in Geneva had a long standing teaching commitment in Australia and has to leave here early to fit in three weeks in Geneva before traveling to Melbourne, in order to avoid quarantine.

Quarantine has been attempted here, as well as in the US. But in Sierra Leone, while police may guard a house during the day, they may not be there at night. In villages that are quarantined in rural areas, WFP has had to bring in food.

There are only two airlines flying into Freetown now. A colleague from Nairobi arrived this week and had to fly to Brussels and south to Sierra Leone to get here; another way of isolating affected, countries.

Today is Sunday but I will get an espresso before heading out again. Last evening, I had a lovely meal with colleagues at a Lebanese Restaurant. It was a good break!