How Aspen Medical saved lives managing the Australian Government’s response to the Ebola epidemic on the ground in Sierra Leone.
Highlights
- Treated 216 patients including 36 Ebola survivors and 120 survivors of serious conditions other than Ebola.
- No team members infected, from Aspen Medical or local partners.
- Within five months of opening, the centre had contributed to a reduction in transmission and cases had reached locally manageable numbers, rendering its services complete.
Overview
The Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone attracted a global response. On 5 November 2014, the Australian Government committed to commissioning and managing an Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC), constructed by the UK Government in Sierra Leone. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) chose Aspen Medical to manage the ETC.
From beginning to end, this politically sensitive project on the ground at the epicentre of an epidemic provided a unique challenge for our emergency medical response teams.
Working with international agency cooperation as well as local medical staff, we had the ETC fully staffed and operational in under 40 days.
Approach
Training and resources
Well-trained professionals are the backbone of positive outcomes in medicine. All Aspen Medical team members received pre-deployment training in Australia then on-site training in Sierra Leone following World Health Organization Guidelines. The first team deployed undertook a ‘Train the Trainer’ course with Médecins Sans Frontières in Sierra Leone, creating a completely self-sufficient centre.
Quality and adaptability
Once on site in Sierra Leone, our experienced teams adapted plans to better fit the real-time situation on the ground. One such evolving challenge was maximising protection from personal protective equipment. Through continued updates and improvements to equipment, team members reported feeling safer in the centre than outside of it.
Reliable logistical support
The highest level of medical care requires reliable supplies, transport, accommodations, and food to support it. By providing practical synchroniszed systems to support teams on the ground, we maintained the highest possible standard of medical care throughout the centre.
