MY TAKE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 IN KAMBIA DISTRICT

By: Foday Sulaiman Dumbuya -Kambia District Son of the Soil✍️

MY TAKE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 IN KAMBIA DISTRICT

Kambia district is strategically located and shares over 163 crossing points-both official and unofficial ones with the Republic of Guinea.

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus in China and it rapid spread to big economies across the globe, the Sierra Leone government wasted no time but engaged all relevant authorities to prevent COVID-19 entering the country with special attention given to  border districts with Kambia as main district of concentration. This was due mainly to the flow of positive coronavirus cases from Guinea at the time and the initial response to it. 

Also, the manner with which  Ebola was handled in that country came to mind. It was not therefore surprising to see steady flow of visit to Kambia by key government officias with the motive to ginger stakeholders to put measures in place earlier than later for the battle ahead.

It is against this back drop that serious fight against COVID-19 did start early in Kambia than most if not all the districts in Sierra Leone. But what measures were put in place and how helpful they were to fighting the invisible enemy? The following under mentioned points will guide us through:

1. Setting up of an effective Command and Control Centre-This started early enough with well selected pillars with experienced medical staff identified to lead. DMO Joseph Bangura and members of DHMT  along with other players provided the initial guidance and support to the process. 

Other notable CSO's  and well meaning Kambians also joined them in the field as well as in the daily evening briefs to plan and strategize for next steps. 

These information and experience sharing sessions paid off and is still paying as ownership of the fight against COVID-19 continues to shift from medical staff to the community. 

2. Local initiatives and NGO support-There is high degree of community ownership to defend Kambia. The 6 Paramount Chiefs and 4 Regent Chiefs are playing pivotal role in the fight. Hon. PC Bai Farama Bubu Ngbak IV of Magbema chiefdom for  instance operates from the centre of Kambia township where government functionaries also operates. 

He is currently regarded as warrior king for concrete steps  taken towards the fight against coronavirus. Massive sensitisation and awareness raising sessions are been conducted, support to youth groups, training of members of Ataya bases on COVID-19, support to bike riders union to prepare face masks for their members, support to community radio stations to give update on corona and other gestures are unprecedented.

His actions may tempt some one to ask the question as to whether  he is the only PC doing  so? It might not be at the same level but all Paramount Chiefs are doing their best in the fight against coronavirus. Going down to Samu and Mambolo chiefdoms, one will see PC Bai Shebora Yek II and PC Shebora An Lion II respectively. 

Apart from the task forces formed to check the movement of people in and out of their chiefdoms along with regular security forces, they are also very supportive to youth groups and security forces in the areas of fuel and food support for thorough border security at all times. For PC Konkorioko Kondogbala II of Dixon chiefdom, his strength lies on the task forces and the regular security forces who eyes his chiefdom with keen interest. 

This is not only due to the porosity of the  borders, but also it closeness/proximity to Pamlape in Guinea. PC Kandeh Kabbah Sedu I of Khonimakha chiefdom also relies on his task forces with back up from SLP/RSLAF/LPPB personnels stationed in Bramaia chiefdom. 

In summary, all six Paramount Chiefs are  doing their bit in varying degrees. The 4 Regent Chiefs of Bramaia, Tonko Limba, Gbinleh and Thala-Munu chiefdoms have not also relented but pushing the district agenda to maintaining zero corona positive case.

The NGO community too has contributed immensely to the efforts. Support to quarantine home, provision of water and hand washing facilities at strategic locations are some of the worth noting   activities of KADDRO. Gold is also a strong and reliable partner to the fight against COVID-19 in the Kambia district. Provision of fuel support to security forces, DHMT and other partners during the period is quite impressive. 

Hearts of Sierra Leone is another helping with some form of logistics as well as experienced human resource with Dr. Alfred Kamara-former Kambia DERC coordinator during the fight against Ebola as  senior management staff. There are equally other partners who are also providing some form of support including but not limited to hand washing materials, social mobilization efforts and media engagements. 

I will remise in this of my write up if I fail to recognise the special roles played by the District Youth Council (DYC), Civil Society Movement Kamala branch, motor drivers union, bike riders union and United Indigenous Petty Traders Union.

3. Political will and support to local initiatives-Kambia is blessed with politicians who do not think colour  as far as the fight against COVID-19 is concern. I start with HE Ambassador Alimamy Hassan Bangura to Guinea who is now considered by many as blessing to Kambia district. 

He has been quite supportive to the security forces, Paramount Chiefs/Regent Chiefs, youth groups, religious leaders, women groups, task forces, bike riders union, the media across Kambia district, Command and control centre, etc. HE Ambassador Alimamy is  referred to as the man of the people and this cuts across the  political divide. 

He is doing remarkably well in the fight against COVID-19 and his appeals resonate with a lot of people. Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Hon. MP for constituency 062 is also doing fine for his people through the provision of necessary inputs in his constituency and supporting government policies using the media as well as different community engagements. All 6 MP's from Kambia district are in full gear supporting government policies on Coronavirus and sensitizing the people on regular basis.

Also, the Minister of Political and Public Affairs, Ambassador Foday Yumkella is also contributing to the fight through community engagement, radio talk shows and provision of hand washing facilities. Same goes to the Kambia district SLPP Chairman and Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Security and Insurance Scheme, Mohamed Lansana Dumbuya. 

His message to the people on COVID-19 is topical and continues to be  subject of discussion especially to the Soso ethnic group in Sierra Leone as well as Guinea. One must not forget to mention the special role played by the Resident Minister for North-West, Haja Isata Abu Kamara. She too has demonstrated strong leadership and commitment for the fight against Coronavirus for the people of Kambia district.

4. Security-This is key and we owe a lot to this class of people. You need to be close to see the sacrifices the security sector along with other interest groups have done so far. Here, I am referring to SLP, RSLAF, ONS, LPPB and task forces. This team has taken no chances but go according to the dictates of the authorities both local and national. 

Just imagine, Kambia district has had curfew (8:00 pm-7:00 am) daily prior to the national curfew which starts at 9:00 pm and end at 6:00 am. Despite the declaration of the latter, Kambia still upheld their original time saying the objective for which the curfew was imposed remain relevant. 

The intention according to stakeholders is to prevent people entering Kambia from Guinea and other parts of the country unnoticed with finger pointed at the bike riders for aiding and abetting such movements. 

Readers, you can see the unflinching support the security sector has given since the start of this war. A lot of people defaulting to laid down rules and regulations have been dealt with accordingly. Some are automatically returned to Guinea, some taken to quarantine homes whilst others are taken to police for punitive action through the court. Quite a daunting task despite inadequate logistics and food challenge they face.

5. The Media-Five community Radio stations currently operates in the Kambia district and their role has  been quite productive. Free airtime has been given to all interest groups including the Kambia Command and control centre. For mother community radio station located in Kambia township (Radio Kolenten), one hour special radio program has long been created titled corona update and this has become popular than most other radio programs. 

It is worth noting that Kambia brothers and sisters both home and abroad are fully on board. They have not allowed distance to keep them away from their people. 

Their contributions by way of expressing their  situations in their respective countries/places of residence is a factor worth considering  as success story in the fight against COVID-19 in the Kambia district.

All these started prior to the appointment of Mohamed Mustapha Dumbuya as *District Coordinator for COVID-19*. Who is he and how he intend to push forward the Kambia agenda? 

His brief engagement with stakeholders at the command and control centre has started very well and those who has had previous working relationship with him remain positive. 

Kambia people expect a lot from this double Masters degree holder with extensive experience as a development worker, a teacher, Country director ST Foundation and a politician. As a known community mobilizer and with the support of the team he has inherited and the people of Kambia district, MMD says he is set to make another history. 

All of these did not happen without  struggles between the security forces and some  youth groups first in Bamoi Luma in the Magbema chiefdom and Madina in the Tonko Limba chiefdom. The security forces had to apply what they refered to as minimal force to get them to comply with set rules and regulations.

The intervention of the Local Policing Partnership Board in both situations led to reduced tension and RSLAF/SLP now operates conveniently with LPPB members in those places and other chiefdoms/communities happily.