September 8, 2015 By Alusine Sesay
Through their Community Event Based Surveillance project, the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society last Friday donated 24 motorbikes to volunteer supervisors in the Koinadugu District.
Koinadugu Branch Manager of the Sierra Leone Red Cross, Mohamed Lamin Kamara, said at the unveiling ceremony that the motorbikes would be used by the volunteer supervisors to do monitoring, detecting and reporting of health and other related issues like fire disaster, flooding, among many others in their various communities.
“The motorbikes would enable volunteer supervisors to access hard-to-reach communities and report early on any issue that has the tendency to graduate into a big disaster,” said Kamara.
He said the Sierra Leone Red Cross is one of the biggest humanitarian organisations in the country, established by an Act of Parliament, and that they provide auxiliary service to the government.
Chairperson of the organisation in Koinadugu District, Hawa Conteh, said the Red Cross had rendered a lot of humanitarian assistance in the district as part of efforts to fight against Ebola.
P.C. Gbawuru Mansaray III of Wara-Wara Yagala Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District said he recognised the role played by the Sierra Leone Red Cross in the fight against Ebola, especially in the provision of safe and dignified burial for victims.
He expressed appreciation for the support provided by the organisation and requested that the latter continue working in the district for the safety of all and sundry.
He called on the volunteer supervisors to be monitoring and reporting health, as well as related issues, including harmful traditional practices and teenage pregnancy.
The traditional ruler advised the supervisors to be committed to their job and use the motorbikes for their intended purpose, and warned against the dissemination of false information.
Foday Musa Sesay from the Office of National Security in Koinadugu dilated on the role of the supervisors, which he said would involve the management of information, directing and preventing any dangerous events in the district.
He linked their role to disaster risk reduction in their respective communities as they would be involved in the systematic collection, processing and dissemination of information for action to be taken by the appropriate authorities.
“Your responsibility is to be disseminating information on any event that has the potential to erupt into a big disaster,” Sesay emphasized. “You would have to involve in disaster risk reduction to prevent future outbreaks not only in the Koinadugu District but the country as a whole. You should live up to expectations and serve humanity to the best of your ability.”