Two days ago we heard that Dr. Sheik Umar Khan , a leading doctor from Sierra Leone specializing in viral hemorrhagic fever ( VHF ) , had died aged 39 . He contracted the Ebola virus while treating more than 100 patients and was called a `` national hero '' by the government . Khan 's sickness added to fear and vulnerability felt by many doctors and nurses treating Ebola patients . They reasoned `` if even Dr. Khan can get sick , then any of us can . '' Sierra Leone 's health facilities were struggling to cope even before this outbreak . The country has a major shortage of doctors , nurses and infrastructure , meaning we 're all working in challenging circumstances . Tracing people who have had contact with Ebola sufferers is very difficult , and made more challenging by poor roads and overcrowded housing . Amongst the wider Sierra Leone population we 've seen a lot of mistrust -- many people believe that Ebola is a government myth created to steal their organs or money . Others believe that if they go to hospital they will be killed . So many hide at home and are cared for by relatives -- who then get sick themselves . Some patients have escaped from hospitals with relatives ' help . During this crisis , the King 's team have all faced difficult questions . The most fundamental being whether our organization should be involved in the Ebola response at all . Our work at Connaught Hospital in Freetown was not hands-on clinical care but consulting on how to strengthen the health system over the long term . Although our small team is highly qualified , we did n't really have the funding or equipment to deal with such an outbreak . But after team discussions and with senior colleagues back at King 's in London we decided that as an organization we had a duty to respond and that we had the capacity to do so safely and effectively . All our staff are volunteers and this is n't what they originally signed up for -- so we gave them the option to withdraw from clinical activities if they wanted to . We were , however , fortunate to have Dr. Colin Brown on hand -- our infectious diseases adviser in the UK , who has experience with viral hemorrhagic fever . Rumors and misinformation . Within hours of the first National Ebola Taskforce meeting in Sierra Leone , the King 's team was invited to join the response , advising Connaught Hospital on how to develop a preparedness plan , identify cases , set up isolation units , protect staff and dispose of medical waste . These guidelines were held up as a model for other hospitals , and we continue to act as advisers to the Health Ministry , along with groups such as Medicines Sans Frontieres , Emergency Hospital and the World Health Organization . As the King 's team ran urgent training for nursing and medical staff at Connaught , suspected cases began to emerge . Rumors and misinformation were rife with a nurse having been one of the first victims . The fear amongst hospital staff was palpable . We found ourselves amongst the first responders , alongside heroic Connaught colleagues such as Sister Cecilia ( Sister-in-Charge of A & E ) and Dr. Modupe Cole ( Consultant Physician ) who did not hesitate to step forward and manage the response . Staff worked into the night to set up an expanded isolation unit and now work to provide treatment and take blood specimens . It is sweaty and exhausting work , scrubbing floors with bleach in full gowns , masks and protective clothing in the intense rainy season heat . We immediately isolate anyone who shows symptoms . They sometimes have to wait three to four days for the lab results . About a quarter of the patients who have been isolated have died at Connaught , meaning most recover or are referred for treatment elsewhere . Most health workers are still coming to work , but almost everyone is afraid . We 're all aware of how much is at stake . We ask ourselves -- are we acting beyond our competency and putting ourselves at risk ? Ebola is the main conversation , in government , the media and on the street . People are now starting to truly understand the scale of risk . Businesses have buckets of chlorine at the doorstep , people wear gloves and have stopped shaking hands . The population is not yet panicking though . The people of Sierra Leone have been through many challenges over the years , from war to cholera , and they remain resolute . There 's no doubt that it 's going to be an intense and exhausting next few months for medical staff as the outbreak continues . But , after some initial nerves , they are working together , gaining experience and confidence to help Sierra Leone to fight its latest , life-threatening challenge .
Two days ago one of Sierra Leone 's leading doctors died after contracting malaria . Dr. David Johnson of Kings College London went to Sierra Leone before the outbreak . His team has now become part of the relief effort , but he says staff faced a crisis . Sierra Leone 's health system was compromised before the outbreak and lives are at stake .