HIGHLIGHTS
In the week to 26 July 2015, there were three confirmed Ebola cases, down from four cases the previous week. Two cases were reported from a quarantined home in Hagan street community in Freetown, Western Area Urban district (the only area reporting cases out of 48 wards in the district). One case reported from Tonkolili district, after 150 days without a case, came from Kholifa Rowala chiefdom.
In Kambia and Port Loko districts, UNICEF-led social mobilization teams, in collaboration with 3,545 traditional leaders, paramount and section chiefs and over 860 traditional healers, reached 29,520 people through community meetings and household visits in 2,425 communities.
UNICEF, through its partners Sierra Leone Water Company, OXFAM and Community Action for the Welfare of Children-CAWEC, supported the delivery of 48.7m3 of water to 309 people in 73 quarantined households and four check points in Kambia and Port Loko districts.
UNICEF is responding to a new Ebola case in Tonkolili district where 53 households with 495 people in Massassabeh village and 125 health workers at Masanga hospital were placed under quarantine on 25 July 2015. UNICEF partners have already started distributing WASH supplies such as water tanks and hygiene kits.
Last week, 104 handwashing stations were distributed to 32 vulnerable communities in Samu, Gbeleh Dixin and Thorminaye chiefdoms along the Guinea and Sierra Leone border. As of last week, 207 handwashing kits had been distributed to 38 border communities.
UNICEF partner, Defence for Children International, in collaboration with Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, District Ebola Response Centre, local leaders and community members, conducted a reconciliation ceremony in Rosanda community, Bombali district, to support acceptance and community reintegration of a woman Ebola survivor and her family.
UNICEF Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) is appealing for USD 178 million for Sierra Leone to support the needs of children and communities affected by the Ebola crisis until the end of July 2015.
Currently, UNICEF is revising its HAC appeal in order to establish the needs until the end of 2015. As of 22 July, USD 121.7 million (68.4% of the total funding needs) has been received.