To Fight COVID-19 in Africa, “stop the great virus of corruption”: Bishop in Sierra Leone

Since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Sierra Leone at the end of March, there have been at least 1,972 reported cases of the disease; 69 patients have died and 1,542 have recovered.

In July, doctors who were treating COVID-19 patients in Sierra Leone reportedly went on strike over unpaid dues, leaving patients in some of the main treatment centers without care.

In the August 21 reflection, Bishop Paganelli highlights other challenges the west African country is facing in the fight against the global pandemic.

“In Sierra Leone, other diseases and hunger kill more than COVID-19. A few years ago, Ebola claimed many victims: at least five thousand people. We saw people get sick and die,” the 63-year-old Prelate says in his reflection.

He adds, “Malaria also severely affects the country. Every year more than 1,000 children under the age of five die of the disease and 40% of patients visited in hospitals have symptoms of this disease.”

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The Italian-born Prelate who has been at the helm of the Diocese of Makeni since 2012 further says that “the population doubts the danger of COVID-19” and that people leave “hospitals and go to native doctors for treatment.”

COVID-19 restrictions have taken an economic toll on the people in Sierra Leone, spurring sporadic protests in the West African country for months.

In his reflection, the Church leader also expresses concern about the economic impact of the pandemic saying, “What worries me most, as it is the case in other African states, is the economic impact of the disease on an already poor population that is struggling to earn what is necessary to bring food home every day.”

“The mines are still closed because of the lockdown, there was a curfew, people couldn't go out on the streets to sell their products in the informal trade. Hunger has increased disproportionately, and from poverty, people have moved quickly to misery,” the Bishop says.

Faced with these challenges, Bishop Paganelli further says, the Church leadership through Caritas Makeni has been providing palliatives to the less privileged in the Diocese.

“The Diocesan Caritas has been distributing foodstuff with the support of Caritas Italiana of the Italian Episcopal Conference. The Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) has been supporting Priests, Religious and catechists engaged in human development and pastoral activities,” the Prelate says in his reflection.

“We had to ask for help in order to distribute rice, onions, salt, and spices to ensure the survival of the poorest,” Bishop Paganelli further says and adds, “So far there is much solidarity.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.