The Ministry of Health in partnership with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has discharged 12 patients from the Wellington Fire incident. The first set of patients is going home with confirmation from the experts that their healing process is in good progress.
The Director-General of NDMA, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Brima Bureh Sesay thanked the Government, medical experts, foreign and local partners and the Ministry of Health for coordinating support; working day in day out to save victims of the fire incident.
“The National Disaster Management Agency has been doing community engagements and sensitization programs. We are going to revamp our risk communication efforts, conduct radio, TV and community and school engagements, sanitizing the public on the dos and don’ts, so in the future disasters of this nature will be prevented,” the DG said.
The Minister of Health & Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby praised the courage of the patients, thanking the doctors and nurses for their support throughout this period. He also recognized the foreign intervention in giving the best care to the victims of the fire incident.
According to Dr. Demby, the patients have moved to the ambulatory care stage; they will stay home and continue receiving health care from the hospitals. “The patients will continue visiting to have checkups and treat their injuries throughout the final healing process.
A take-home package of nutritious food items and toiletries were given to the patients. It would boost their dietary intake and support them throughout the healing process.
One of the victims Kadiatu Kamara, thanked the Government for its support, and applauded the nurses and doctors for their hard work in giving them the best care. “I am so happy today. I will reunite with my family. I was doing business where the fire erupted, I lost everything. I hope government and well-wishers will help me regain my livelihood,” Kadiatu added.
The Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby issued discharge certificates to all 12 patients. He said this has exposed the need to build a ‘Burns Unit’ at the Connaught hospital so that the health system will improve on its capability in handling burn incidents in the future. “Every week we receive an account of burn incidents; one or two, but not in a large scale as the wellington PMB disaster”.
“We gave dignified burial to those who died during the fire incident, and currently we are at a stage of identifying the corpses. Family members of those victims are critical in this whole process, so in the coming days, we expect the public to help us in this drive”, Dr. Demby ended.
