17 September 2014: Supplies of food are running so low in Sierra Leone that residents fear many could die of hunger if the Ebola virus is not contained soon.
Freetown residents say food prices are soaring out of control due to the lack of cross-border trade since the borders to Liberia and Guinea closed.
“There is food shortage in the market and the demand is high, and this has urged traders to increase their prices,” said Freetown resident Alpha Bah.
“The situation in the country is getting more difficult every day, and if this virus is not tackled as quickly as possible, many Sierra Leoneans are going to die of hunger, particularly the poor citizens.”
Soaring prices
Last week the UN warned of the effect of the Ebola crisis on food security in West Africa, citing soaring prices across the region.
It issued a special alert for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the three countries most affected by the outbreak, which has killed at least 2,296 people since the virus was detected in the remote forests of Guinea in March.
Kadiatu Sesay, a female trader operating in Freetown, says she will soon run out of food to sell.
“I used to travel to Guinea to buy food items, but since the Ebola outbreak and the borders are closed, I am only selling the remaining food item in my store,” she explained.
“Things are getting worse every day, especially food items. All food items have increased from their normal prices due to scarcity. Also, most farmers have stopped farming due to the outbreak. Food items are now very expensive."
Restrictions on people's movements and the establishment of quarantine zones to contain the spread of Ebola have led to panic buying, food shortages and price hikes.
Lock down
The Sierra Leone government has also announced a countrywide ‘lock down’ in a bid to contain the virus.
Residents will be restricted to the areas around their homes for three days from 19 September in a bid to halt new infections and help health workers track down people suffering from the disease.
But people fear the lock down will have even more impact on rising food prices.
Response plan
Plan International is providing information and awareness messages via radio, as well as handwashing and sanitary kits to affected communities.
It has also teamed up with International Medical Corps (IMC), a leader in global health and emergency response, to respond to the deadly virus.
Working together, Plan and IMC will address immediate short-term needs and long-term requirements.
The response plan covers prevention, case management, psychological first aid, child protection and other lifesaving measures.
“Mobilising international and community support for case management, contact tracing and community mobilisation remains the best hope of bringing this deadly outbreak under control as quickly as possible,” said Augustine Allieu, Country Director of Plan Sierra Leone.
Support the Plan International Ebola outbreak appeal.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Plan International Jane Labous, Press Officer, Africa Jane.Labous@plan-international.org +44 (0)1483 733 330 /+44 (0)7540 048 494