Ebola nurse honoured
A TOWNSVILLE nurse who was on the frontline of the deadly ebola outbreak has been recognised for his service by the Governor-general.
Public health nurse Sean O’connor was awarded the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in Canberra by Governor-general David Hurley, for the six weeks he spent at an ebola treatment centre in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 2014-2015.
“I dedicate the award to all the nurses and doctors who died in Sierra Leone, because about 20 per cent of the health workforce died because of ebola, it wiped out a lot of their best doctors and nurses,” he said.
“When we go over and do this type of work, we cannot only help the people, but help bolster and support the health services that are really in trouble at the time.”
Mr O’connor was selected to work as part of the Aspen Medical team, and oversaw a team of Sierra Leone health professionals caring for patients in “the red zone”, which dealt with suspected cases of ebola, probable and confirmed cases.
“The work itself was very physically stressful and quite emotionally demanding, it meant putting on a full head to toe suit to protect yourself,” he said.
“It was a complete no touch policy in the country. I was in Sierra Leone for six weeks and I didn’t touch a single person, kiss, shake hands, hug, not a single person … it was very unnatural.
“It was completely outlawed and that was for everyone’s safety at the time.”
The West African ebola crisis started in Guinea in late 2013 and was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organisation in August 2014.
By the time the emergency was declared, 28,616 cases had been reported with 11,310 deaths.
“I tried to prepare myself before I went, but nothing can really prepare you for the real thing,” Mr O’connor said. “It was very upsetting for the families and it was difficult to see people go through those sort of things. There was a high level of anxiety and fear in the community.”