Sierra Leone declared Ebola Free

         

The World Health Organization on Saturday declared Sierra Leone free from Ebola transmissions, as a battle continues to stamp out the deadly virus in neighboring Guinea.

Nearly 4,000 people have died of Ebola in Sierra Leone since the outbreak began in late 2013.

On Saturday, hundreds of people cheered in the nation's capital of Freetown as Dr. Anders Nordstrom, Sierra Leone representative for the World Health Organization, declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in the country.

Forty-two days have passed since the last confirmed Ebola patient was discharged after two consecutive negative test results, the organization said.

"WHO commends the government and people of Sierra Leone for the significant achievement of ending this Ebola outbreak," Nordstrom said.

A country must go 42 days — equal to two incubation periods of 21 days — without an Ebola case to be declared free of Ebola transmission. It's a benchmark that neighboring Liberia reached in May only to then experience a brief reappearance of cases before that country was again declared free from transmissions in September.

Sierra Leone had at one point begun the 42-day countdown only to discover a new Ebola case. Guinea, where the epidemic began, now remains the only country struggling to rid itself of the disease. Seven new cases have been recorded in neighboring Guinea in the past 21 days.

Sierra Leone now enters a 90-day intensive surveillance period.

"This new phase is crucial as our goal is to ensure a resilient zero and that we can detect and respond to any potential flare-ups," said Nordstrom, adding that the World Health Organization will maintain staff in Sierra Leone.

Authorities caution that vigilance must continue.

"Until the entire West African region records zero cases and Sierra Leone continues with heightened vigilance beyond 42 days, and beyond 90 days, then and only then the region can think of true recovery," said Alfred Palo Conteh, chief executive officer of Sierra Leone's National Ebola Response Center.

The United States government congratulated the government and people of Sierra Leone in a statement from the embassy.

"Ending the current outbreak is a moment for celebration, but also reflection," the statement said. "Experience has shown that where Ebola has occurred, it will resurface. So the United States resolves to remain vigilant and urges others to do likewise."

Weak leadership, shoddy supplies and infighting worsened the battle against the current Ebola outbreak that has killed some 11,000 people mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and the World Health Organization has been criticized for its response.

source: The Associated Press

Nigerian pharmacist Seun Omobo emerges first black chairperson of the FIP-YPG

                                               
A young Nigerian pharmacist, Seun Omobo, has won a keenly contested election to emerge chairperson of the International Pharmaceutical Federation–Young Pharmacists’ Group (FIP-YPG), making history as the first African to occupy the position.

Seun won the election to chair the FIP-YPG which has been in existence since 2001, during the recently concluded Annual Congress of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) held in Dusseldorf, Germany from 29 September to 3 October 2015.



Omobo works  as a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) ; managing the WHO Prequalification of Medicines Programme for Nigeria and neighboring West African countries. In 2014, her work on this project resulted in the unprecedented attainment of  WHO Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) by at four pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria (SWIPHA, CHI, MAY & BAKER and EVANS).....making them eligible for procurement by international organizations including United Nations (UN) Organizations.

She also consults as an Assistant to the Director-General (NAFDAC) on technical matters.

She is an associate of the Nigerian Leadership Initiative, She is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community (Lagos Hub).
She is also a commissioner for the first ever Lancet Youth Commission on Essential Medicines Policies(YCEMP).

She had previously served the FIP-YPG as the Public Relations Officer(PRO) and was fundamental to the establishment of the Young Pharmacist Group Nigeria (YPG-N) in 2012 modelled after the global group.
Omobo is also responsible for the YPG-N Professional Travel Grant, which has sponsored at least 18 young Nigerian pharmacists to international trainings within the last two years.
Nigeria was a double winner at the FIP-YPG election in Germany, as another young Nigerian pharmacist, Oluwatosin Adeyemi,a beneficiary of the 2015 grant, also emerged project coordinator of the group. Adeyemi is one of the few young Nigerian pharmacists in academia. He lectures in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Lagos.

Aside winning the project coordinator position, Adeyemi also made a poster presentation on the topic: “Assessing Beliefs about Medications for Hypertension and their Impact on Adherence” during the FIP conference.

                                  

Although, the main leadership of the FIP-YPG is a team of three elected officers (chairperson, project coordinator and public relations officer) usually from different countries, Nigerians are occupying two of the positions. A young American pharmacist, Sheena Patel, was the only other non-Nigerian that emerged as winner during the elections and she is to serve as the group’s public relations officer. They all will be serving the FIP-YPG for one-year.

The FIP-YPG was established 15 years ago as a network of FIP, mandated to encourage young pharmacists to be actively involved in international pharmacy activities and also work within the sections and organisation of FIP.

Members of the FIP-YPG are recent graduates of School of Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical Sciences (within the last five years) or a pharmacist under 35 years of age.

The FIP-YPG provides a platform for connecting with young pharmacists from around the world who are seeking networks, professional innovation and support.

FIP-YPG also supports members with travel awards and research grants.

source: LIB