During statements marking the start of operation of the ultra-modern lab facility, which is located in the premise of the Chinese Hospital at Jui, the Chinese Ambassador, Zhao Yanbo informed the galaxy of officials that the coming into being of the bio-safety lab is an aftermath of an agreement he signed on the 14th of February last year. He said that the agreement pointed out that the government and people of China were up to provide a level-3 laboratory facility for the detection of the Ebola virus disease and other tropical diseases in the country.
Following the outbreak of Ebola early last year, the Ambassador said, the Chinese Government was quick to intervene, bringing along mobile labs to speedily enhance testing of Ebola cases that were emerging at an alarming rate. Towards the completion of the fixed lab on the 10th of February this year, the mobile labs have already detected over 8,000 specimens and swabs. Now that the mobile labs have been closed as of yesterday, the fixed lab will start operations today as, he says: “Ebola is not yet over; so we still need to work harder.”
Ambassador Zhao Yanbo reassured that the lab constitutes modern high-tech facility capable of performing its function in record time. Therefore, he pronounced that Sierra Leoneans need an expert training on how to effectively utilize the gadgets installed, for which he assured that some individuals will be sent to Beijing for a thorough training.
With the availability of the required experts to property handle the lab, the ambassador said that the facility will be a catalyst for development in the country’s public health system. This is because, according to him, with such facility, Sierra Leone is empowered to challenge any epidemic in future.
Just like the National Stadium, Youyi Building, the Regent Grafton Road among other landmarks, Amb. Zhao said that the lab is a further demonstration of a strong friendship that exists between Sierra Leone and China.
President Ernest Bai Koroma buttressed the fact that the long-standing relation between the two countries has always yielded good dividend at every step of the way.
When Ebola struck, he said, the Chinese stood the test of time by sending disease control team and equipment as soon as possible to arrest the prevailing deaths caused by virus disease to date. He said that the lab structure built by the CDC team has built resilience in the country’s health structure in the fight against any future outbreak.
The President used the forum to urge Sierra Leoneans to grab the opportunity provided to them by the government and people of China, and expressed hope that the commencement of operation of the lab will culminate into zero infection rate in the country, thus bringing the Ebola scourge to an end.
