by Mohamed Samoura
FREETOWN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sierra Leone marked the first anniversary of the end of the deadly disease of Ebola in the country on Monday, in commemoration of the declaration of the country Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government one year ago.
To mark the occasion, Sierra Leoneans nationwide were dressed in yellow attires and at exactly 11:00 a.m. (1100 GMT), the country came to standstill for three minutes of silence to remember all those who lost their lives because of Ebola.
The traffic came to a standstill, while all flags were flown at half mast to commemorate the day.
In a nationwide broadcast at exactly three minutes after eleven, President Ernest Bai Koroma said that Sierra Leone has started work on a recovery plan in the wake of an unprecedented war against Ebola, while recalling how the disease halted the people's ways of living and adversely halted the country's economic growth.
He pointed out that 8,000 Sierra Leoneans were affected by the disease, and 3,589 of them lost their lives, including 221 medical workers.
He recalled the heroism of the country's compatriots during the height of the epidemic, noting that over 35,000 were registered as volunteers in the fight to end the war.
Koroma paid tribute to millions of Sierra Leoneans who united with the government by adopting new habits of hygiene, sanitation and vigilance in interaction with families and friends at homes and places of work to fight the Ebola scourge.
He lauded citizens for their numerous sacrifices for the country, noting that the country learned lessons of coming together to fight a common enemy.
He also mentioned the role of the international community and donor partners for their support and commitment in the country's efforts to fight Ebola.
He maintained that the country is now fully equipped to fight any contagious disease in the country in the future.
The WHO office in the country said: "People must recognize this day by reflecting and remembering all those who lost their lives through Ebola."
The office commended the government's post-recovery program and promised to work with the government in strengthening the health care delivery sector.
Xinhua met some of the Ebola survivors who shared their various experiences.
Yusuf Kabbah, chairman of Ebola Survivors in Sierra Leone, pointed out that many of those who were affected by the disease was due to taking care of family members.
He said most of the survivors complained about eye problems and joint pains while some male survivors complained about loosing erections. Some 4,000 survived the disease.
He hoped the Sierra Leonean government could keep its promise to provide the relevant free medical care.
