By: Augustine
The General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA) Abdulai Fofana has told security officers attached at the main entrance gates at the Queen Elizabeth second quay that effective Tuesday 21th April 2020, all SLPA workers and other people doing business within the authority should put on a face mask before entering the port. “No face mask, no entry,” he said.
Fofana has ensured that the supply of face mask is done to all staff within the authority and the rationale behind using a face mask, is to reduce the transmission of droplets when people talk, cough or sneeze.
He continued that since last month, Port Health workers in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has ensured that all ships berthing in Freetown port are provided with basic needs but ship crew are not allowed to disembark. “Our Port Health Workers dressed in their PPEs, check the temperatures of the operators on board the ship, provide them with their basic requested items and encourage them to stay on board. “We don’t allow ship crews to step down in our shores.” He said.
SLPA has also provided a temporary holding centre to house people with high temperature and any sign of coronavirus. During his inspection at Bollore, the East gate and other areas within the port, Fofana admonished security officers to be firmed and ensured that people adhere to the precautionary measures instituted by the authority in the fight against the virus.
As of April 21st 2020, Sierra Leone has total confirmed cases of 50, 6 recovered and a total of 576 in quarantine and no death. The Corona Virus Disease (COVID 19) had been confirmed in around 210 countries and territories around the world and there are approximately 2.5 million cases and around 170, 000 deaths
