When an Ebola virus disease outbreak was declared in Guinea in March 2014, the Red Cross in neighbouring Sierra Leone began preparing for an eventual spread of the disease by conducting sensitization activities in communities in Kailahun district in the eastern part of the country.

Due to cross border travel, the outbreak did spread to Sierra Leone, resulting in the Red Cross increasing its response efforts through a DREF and emergency appeal. Activities are focusing on providing psychosocial support to those affected by Ebola, their families and communities, raising awareness about the disease through SMS messaging, face-to-face visits in communities, community drama and IEC materials, contact tracing, the management of dead bodies, and now, at the request of the government, the establishment of an Ebola treatment centre in Kenema, one of the districts hardest hit by the outbreak.

The centre will scale up to a capacity of 60 beds, however, at the moment is operating at 30 beds, as there are not enough international staff to complete the roster. The centre is staffed 24/7 by approximately 160 national staff and 20 international staff. It is currently accepting patients from across the country. The Ebola treatment centre is divided into a high risk area and a low risk area. Within the high risk area, there are three divided wards: confirmed, probable and suspect. Any staff entering the high risk area must wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), and are only allowed to stay in the PPE for a maximum of one hour.

SHOT LIST:
00:00 Title
00:06 MS of health care staff 00:12 WS of health care staff 00:19 MS of health care staff 00:27 WS of health care staff 00:42 MS of health care staff 00:53 WS of health care staff 00:59 MS of health care staff 01:19 Pan of confirmed ward
in PPE in high risk zone
in PPE walking away in high risk zone
in PPE in tent in high risk zone, checking temperatures in PPE checking on patients in high risk zone
in PPE checking on patients; patients visible from behind in PPE walking into tent in high risk zone
in PPE in high risk zone with patients in silhouette
01:29 WS of health care staff in PPE in high risk zone
01:40 MS 01:55 MS 02:00 MS 02:05 CU 02:11 CU 02:19 MS 02:29 CU 02:37 MS 02:47 MS 02:59 MS
dry 03:11 MS
of health care staff in PPE in tent with patient in silhouette
of health care staff in low risk zone, talking at fence
of health care staff in PPE being sprayed while undressing
of health care staff in PPE washing hands under chlorine solution of boots being scrubbed
of worker putting boots out to dry
of heavy duty gloves being scrubbed
of heavy duty gloves and boots being washed
of tent with RC emblems during heavy rain/lightning/thunder storm
of ETC during heavy rain/lightning/thunder storm, then pan to boots hung to
of confirmed ward during heavy rain/lightning/thunder storm
2
03:17 WS of low risk zone with staff member running through heavy rain/lightning/thunder storm
03:26 MS of health care workers dressing in PPE
03:34 MS of health care workers dressing in PPE
03:53 MS of health care workers dressing in PPE (gloves)
04:25 MS of health care workers dressing in PPE (goggles)
04:31 MS of health care workers dressing in PPE (heavy duty gloves) 04:44 CU of health care workers dressing in PPE (heavy duty gloves)
04:58 MS of safe and dignified burial team entering tent in PPE to collect a body as young patient walks by
05:09 MS of safe and dignified burial team spraying inside tent and preparing body bag
05:20 MS of safe and dignified burial team spraying body bag
05:33 MS of safe and dignified burial team collecting contaminated items of deceased patient for incineration
05:42 MS of patient in tent, sits up, drinks water
06:00 MS of 11 year old patient, Kadiatu, eating (permission granted from mother to use image)
06:10 MS of back of ambulance with health care worker inside, assisting patient; showing legs of deceased patient
3
06:20 MS of sprayer disinfecting area around ambulance and hands of ambulance crew
06:36 MS of health care worker in PPE receiving patients from ambulance, discussing challenges with health care colleague in low risk zone
06:48 MS of legs of female patient coming out of ambulance, with foot standing on the boot of a health care worker in PPE
07:00 MS of health care workers in PPE carrying stretcher to ambulance to receive new patients
07:06 MS of health care workers in PPE positioning stretcher at back of ambulance to receive new patient
07:14 MS of health care workers in PPE lifting stretcher up to ambulance to receive new patient
07:29 MS of lifting female patient out of back of ambulance on stretcher
07:38 MS of health care staff in PPE carrying patient on stretcher into confirmed ward, as the chief medical officer provides instructions
07:44 MS of health care staff in PPE carrying female patient on stretcher into confirmed ward
07:52 MS of health care staff in PPE putting female patient on stretcher onto her cot
07:59 MS of health care staff in PPE at back of ambulance receiving instructions, as other team members disinfect ambulance in background
08:02 MS of health care workers in PPE disinfecting ambulance
08:10 WS of health care worker in PPE undressing
08:19 MS of safe and dignified burial team practicing the carrying of a body (not using
a real body)
08:32 MS of health care worker in PPE undressing (removing apron)
08:37 MS of health care worker in PPE in confirmed ward, coming to talk to colleague over double fencing separating high risk zone from low risk zone
08:50 MS of health care workers dressing in PPE, then walk to worker checking self in mirror
09:11 MS from outside of tent of health care workers dressing in PPE
09:17 MS of safe and dignified burial team spraying ambulance and body of deceased patient
09:28 MS of safe and dignified burial team spraying body bag at back of ambulance
09:37 MS of safe and dignified burial team spraying hands of team member, with body of unidentified patient lying on body bag
09:43 MS of safe and dignified burial team preparing body of unidentified patient
09:52 CU of empty body bag being sprayed and disinfected
09:59 WS of safe and dignified burial team carrying deceased patient on stretcher to morgue
10:16 MS of safe and dignified burial team carrying deceased patient on stretcher to morgue
10:42 MS of safe and dignified burial team carrying deceased patient on stretcher to morgue