The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

The China CDC Team in Sierra Leone

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) team arrived in Sierra Leone in mid-December last year with the task of implementing the second technical assistance project of Sierra Leone's fixed biosafety laboratory from the China CDC. Dr. Wu Wei, the deputy team leader, revealed that the project is a follow-up project of China's assistance to the public health improvement of Sierra Leone since the Ebola period in 2014. “It aims to help Sierra Leone improve its capacity to prevent and control infectious diseases,” he said and added that it has been carried out for nearly three years.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the 11 members of the CDC China team has shifted its focus to fighting the coronavirus for Sierra Leone. The team, according to the deputy team leader, has always maintained good communication and collaboration with Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOH), World Health Organization, World Bank, and other international organizations.

The experts of the team participated in nearly 40 special meetings on the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Sierra Leone, exchanged views over the situation and experience of COVID-19 in China, and worked hard in policy-making about the technical strategies and plans for prevention and control of COVID-19 in Sierra Leone, and gave suggestions for addressing the issue of COVID-19 in this country.

In the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Fixed Biosafety Laboratory, the team established the molecular test method for the coronavirus based on third-generation sequencing technology on Jan. 20, 2020. At the same time, the team applied urgently to the headquarters of China CDC for deployment of the new coronavirus nucleic acid detection reagents and established fluorescence quantitative PCR test method for COVID-19 on Feb. 5.

This is also one of the first laboratories in the country to establish the routine molecular test method for the coronavirus. After the spread of COVID-19 in Africa, this lab was immediately designated as a national test laboratory for coronavirus by the Sierra Leone Government.

The lab is responsible for new coronavirus nucleic acid testing and training for this country and successfully passed the required internal laboratory assessments for the new coronavirus test from the MOH. On Feb. 14, the team tested the first sample of a suspected COVID-19 case, marking the official start of emergency testing for COVID-19 in Sierra Leone.

Since then, the expert team has been on standby almost 24 hours a day for emergency detection of COVID-9 and has performed multiple emergency tests required by the MOH. After identifying the first nucleic acid positive sample of COVID-19 on March 31, as of Aug. 2, 2020, the team has done nucleic acid testing for a total of 5,525 suspected cases and close contacts for Sierra Leone (accounting for 30.4% of all tests in Sierra Leone) with 670 positive cases for COVID-19 (accounting for 36% of all reported positive cases in Sierra Leone).

The team has organized professional training to help improve the capabilities of local professionals in Sierra Leone. In mid-February, when the team conducted training on disease surveillance projects in 10 hospitals in Sierra Leone, they introduced the knowledge and the technology accumulated in China's experience of fighting COVID-19. Since March, the expert team has held three professional technical training courses in the capital and in the capital city of the southern province, Bo. A total of more than 60 public health professionals of Sierra Leone have been trained in personal protection, sample collection, and nucleic acid testing.

In May, the expert group provided financial support for the MOH of Sierra Leone in educational materials of hepatitis and COVID-19 (T-shirts, leaflets, etc.). In June, the expert group provided additional financial support for the MOH to supervise the COVID-19 work in regional laboratories. At the same time, under the unified coordination of the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, the expert team promptly donated some personal protective supplies to the Sierra Leone government for the combat of COVID-19. What's more gratifying is that, under the guidance and training of the expert group, the local employees of the laboratory have fully been able to independently conduct the COVID-19 test.

Since February of this year, the team has always actively helped Sierra Leone in fighting COVID-19, which promoted the understanding and close cooperation with the MOH of Sierra Leone and deepened the traditional friendship between the two countries. The working ability and professionalism of the team have been highly recognized and praised by the MOH of Sierra Leone and other international agencies. “We are glad that our work helped enrich the Sierra Leone-China friendship,” Dr. Wu Wei said.