Army

Army Members Home After Sierra Leone Ebola Training

More than 40 personnel from 5 Armoured Medical Regiment, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, have returned home after finishing training Sierra Leonean healthcare workers at the Ebola Training Academy at the National Stadium in Freetown.

Supported by a further 39 personnel from 4 Armoured Medical Regiment, they deployed on 21 October to train local healthcare workers and hygienists on how to protect themselves from the Ebola virus and how to prevent it in others.

During their deployment they successfully trained over 4,000 Sierra Leonean medical personnel, exceeding their expected target of 3,200.

The training role is now being handed over to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and will continue to run for at least another six months.

Medics from 5 Med Regt and the Royal Sierra Leonean Armed Forces teach healthcare workers and prison officers the correct procedure for wearing protective clothing

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:

“The hard work by 5 Armoured Medical Regiment demonstrates Britain’s commitment to the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone, where UK personnel have also recently completed the infrastructure to support 700 treatment beds at six treatment units across the country.”

Lieutenant Colonel Phil Carter, Commanding Officer 5 Armoured Medical Regiment and former Chief Instructor at the Ebola training academy, said:

“We are extremely proud of the work we have done in establishing the Ebola Training Academy and in helping so many Sierra Leoneans ready themselves for the fight against Ebola.

"To see so many thousands of Sierra Leoneans stand up and be counted, to offer to care for the victims of this deadly disease and to take these lessons back into their communities, has been humbling"

“We couldn’t have done this, however, without the support of our Sierra Leonean colleagues from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), the University of Sierra Leone and the Department of Health; it has been a truly joint effort and much of our success is down to them.”

While in Sierra Leone, members of 5 Armoured Medical Regiment also supported RSLAF personnel in the training of Prison Officers in the fight against Ebola.

Prison officers underwent a similar three-day training course to that delivered to the healthcare workers, learning life-saving techniques and procedures on how to correctly use protective clothing when handling prisoners who are suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola.