August 21, 2017
After the catastrophic mudslide and flooding on August 14, 2017, the Chinese Military Medical Expert Group participated actively in the disaster relief efforts of the Sierra Leone government through the coordination of the Joint Medical Unit of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF).
Responding to the call of Military Aid to Civil Power by the Sierra Leone government, the Chinese military medical experts contributed to the emergency treatment for the injured that are brought to the Joint Medical Unit and donated through local Chinese community. As experts in infectious diseases control, the military medical group analyzed the possibility of epidemic outbreak which usually comes with large scale disaster and brought up methods of prevention to the Joint Medical Unit of RSLAF.
With counterparts from RSLAF, Head of the expert group GUO Xuejun and Deputy Head HUANG Lei visited the mudslide hit area and one of the victim settlements near Mansaray’s Drive in Regent trying to figure out what is the urgent demand of the victims and the possible infectious disease prevention plan. On August 17, the group brought more than 100 boxes of drugs, such as anti-dysenteric, antibiotics, anti-malaria, and antipyretics, together with food, drinking water and mosquito repellent to the settlement and distributed to the victims.
To avoid possible outbreak of infectious diseases, Professor GUO Xuejun led his team and sterilized the peripheral of the settlement and sprayed insecticide to prevent the breeding of vector species. The medical experts also provided medical services to the victims instructed them how to prevent infectious diseases.
Mrs. Sarah in the settlement from the Office of National Security invited the group to join meetings to discuss further activities for disaster relief.
The Chinese Military Medical Expert Group is currently in Sierra Leone on bilateral agreement between China and Sierra Leone to help to establish an infectious disease center, which could significantly improve the infectious disease control capability of the government of Sierra Leone, at the Joint Medical Unit of RSLAF.