Highlights
In the week to 7 June 2015, there were 15 confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases, up from 12 cases the previous week and the second week-on-week rise. Cases came from Port Loko district (10) and Kambia (5).
As of 8 June 2015, there have been a total of 8,636 people who have contracted EVD in Sierra Leone, of whom 3,549 have lost their lives. 19,030 children have been directly affected by the Ebola crisis, nearly half of whom have lost one or both parents.
On 5 June 2015, the Presidents of Guinea and Sierra Leone met on the border between their two countries to stress the importance of crossborder coordination and the implementation of a joint action plan.
Intensive social mobilization work continues in the remaining hotspot areas with the deployment of rapid response teams, and work with traditional leaders and local influencers.
UNICEF staff specializing in education, child protection and social mobilization visited families in the hotspot Kaffu Bullom chiefdom (Port Loko) and raised awareness at nearby schools. A UNICEF Child Protection Specialist conducted psychosocial sessions at schools and quarantined houses to better prepare for affected children returning to school.
In Western Area, UNICEF is working with WHO, to implement a new ‘10 ward plan’ in communities identified as being of heightened risk of seeing new Ebola cases. Each ward will see the deployment of a team of 65 people (32 social mobilisers, 30 taskforce members, and three independent monitors).
The six-day measles and polio vaccination campaign was launched on 5 June 2015 by the Vice-President, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, and Representativesfrom UNICEF and WHO. An estimated 1.3 million children under five will benefit from the vaccinations. The campaign also includes the distribution of impregnated bed nets, and routine vaccinations for defaulters.
UNICEF Sierra Leone requires a further USD 57.5 million of the USD 178 million requested for its response to the Ebola crisis, until the end of June 2015. To date, USD 120.3 million has been received – 68 percent of the total.*