A 30-strong medical squad from the 302 Military Hospital of China headed for Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, on Sept. 16. It was the first Chinese military medical squad deployed abroad in the battle against the Ebola epidemic.
Statistics from the World Health Organization showed that by Oct. 10, Sierra Leone had 2,950 confirmed Ebola cases and 930 deaths. Our staff reporters show how the Chinese military medical staff help locals and protect themselves in day-to-day work against the spreading epidemic in West Africa.
Protective clothing
At the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital on the outskirts of the city, the medical squad officially began to treat patients under observation on Oct. 1.
“To destroy the enemy, we must first protect ourselves,” said squad chief Li Jin. “Although we have experience in coping with a severe epidemic, Ebola is highly infectious and unique. The bottom line and red line of our work is to ensure zero infections among the members of the squad and among the patients under observation respectively,” he said.
In the hospital, a clean zone, semi-contaminated zone and contaminated zone have been clearly established. Between different zones are barrier strips, and there are two corridors to walk through, one clean and the other contaminated.
According to Li Jin, before the observation center came into service, the squad trained a dozen local medical workers and cleaners in the correct use of preventive clothing, proper work procedures and sterilization, and isolation and endemic area cleaning. Only those who passed the tests are licensed to work.
Head nurse of the treatment team Liu Liying said medical workers must go to the clean zone to change their clothes at the start of their work. After donning preventive gear, they must go through the semi-contaminated areas before entering the sickrooms. After work, they must strictly follow required procedures to undress in designated zones. Before they enter the clean zones, they must shower and change their clothes.
The preventive gear comprises 11 items, including clothes, mask, safety goggles, isolation gown, gloves and boots. It takes 13 steps to put them on and 23 steps to take them off, as hands must be sterilized whenever a piece is removed. There are also ten dressing and undressing rules to prevent infection.
“Strict and detailed dressing and undressing procedures and tight management of different zones is the key to prevent cross contamination among patients and ensure zero infection of the medical workers,” said Jia Hongjun, chief of the prevention and control team of the Chinese squad.
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