Tanzania Ebola Heroine Jets Back Home

One Tanzanian medical staff who volunteered in fighting with Ebola outbreak in West Africa returned yesterday after 90 days of serving as medical co-coordinator in Sierra Leone, under Save the Children International. Ms Loveness Isojick, 28, arrived early morning at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) from the United Kingdom where she had been quarantined for 21 days before being allowed to return to Tanzania.

On her arrival, she could not hold her joy as she reunited with family and friends, considering that it was the first time in about four months that she shook hands with people.

“Now I can shake hands with you, after being certified by Public Health England that I have no Ebola infection,” she told this reporter, as some other colleagues who also arrived to receive her at JNIA hugged and shared a moment with the Tanzanian heroine.

Five other Tanzanian medical staff under the African Union mission who were sent to Liberia in September, last year, will return next month, according to the ministry of Health spokesperson, Mr Nsachris Mwamwaja.

“Their stay in Liberia has been extended to April,” he told The Citizen yesterday. When they return, Dr Theopil Malibiche, Dr Justine Maeda, Dr God bless Lukas, Shaaban Saasita and Mr Herilinda Temba will be quarantined for about 30 days before being allowed to mingle with fellow Tanzanians.

Earlier, the deputy minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Kebwe Steven Kebwe, applauded the five Tanzanian medics, saying that he was informed of their front line efforts in co-coordinating the fight against the deadly infection. The number of new Ebola infections has relatively gone down in West Africa, where the outbreak has so far killed more than 10,000 people in total, according to the World Health Organization. Last week, Liberia released its last Ebola patient and began its countdown to being declared an Ebola-free country.

The country suffered the highest number of deaths during the epidemic, with 4,117 recorded victims, according to the WHO. But in Sierra Leone, where Ms Isojick served, the number of new cases are still wide-spread. The number has increased sharply to 132 from 99 in Sierra Leone and Guinea in the week before March 1, WHO said. Save the Children has asked Ms Isojick to return to the Ebola-hit nation and continue with the efforts to bring down the Ebola infections to zero. She was working at the main Ebola Treatment Center in Kerry Town, South West of Freetown. 

Posted by Mmasi Irine