Sheik Umar Khan, Sierra Leone’s
only specialist in the virus who
was leading the country’s battle
against the West African Ebola
outbreak has died from the
disease less than a week after
being diagnosed with Ebola.
Khan, who has treated more than
100 patients, died on Tuesday
afternoon. “It is a big and
irreparable loss to Sierra Leone
as he was the only specialist the
country had in viral hemorrhagic
fevers,” said Brima Kargbo, chief
medical officer.
Khan has been hailed as a
“national hero” by the Health
Ministry. Sierra Leone’s president
was due to visit the treatment
center he ran in the north
eastern town of Kailahun,
Reuters reports.
Khan’s death follows the deaths
of dozens of local health workers
and the infection of twoUS
medics in neighboring Liberia.
According to the World Health
Organization (WHO) Ebola has
killed at least 672 people in
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone,
since the beginning of the
outbreak back in February.
READ MORE: Ebola outbreak in
W.Africa ‘totally out of control’
Sheik Umar Khan.(Reuters /
Umaru Fofana)
The virus is highly contagious
and has no cure. Its symptoms
include vomiting and diarrhea,
which then develops into
internal and external bleeding.
The disease has characteristically
had a fatality rate of 90 percent
but in this outbreak it stands at
60 percent.
Despite a broad range of
international help in fighting the
disease, weak health systems in
some of the world’s poorest
countries are struggling to
contain the outbreak. On Monday
US President Barak Obama said
that US agencies would step up
their support to help contain the
virus.
In an effort to stop the further
spread of the disease, West
African airlines have suspended
flights in the region.
Togo based Asky Air has
cancelled flights from Sierra
Leone and Liberia, as panic
spread after the first death was
reported in the Nigerian city of
Lagos, Africa’s biggest city with a
population of 22 million.
The airline also said it would no
longer be taking food on in
Guinea, where the Ebola virus
was first identified. Asky Air also
announced that any passengers
boarding in Guinea would be
checked for symptoms of the
disease.
While Arik Air, Nigeria largest
carrier, has also stopped flights
to Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Officials have also tried to
contain the virus by isolating
patients, and trying to educate
populations on how to avoid
transmitting the disease.
However, their efforts have been
hampered by porous borders,
satellite outbreaks and a
widespread distrust of health
workers and modern medicine
among local people.
www.bbcafrica.com

RIP SIR,ebola took you when your patients needed you the most