Ernest Bai Koroma

"Since the first cases of the disease in Sierra Leone in May, over 4,400 of our people have been infected, of which there are a little over 870 survivors. Most of the dead are women and over two-thirds of those infected belong to the most economically active age category of people between the ages of 15 and 50. Non-Ebola illnesses are adding to the death toll and increasing suffering, as the national healthcare delivery system is under further strains and being weakened."

"Our objective now is to break the chain of transmission of the disease and stop its spread. The way to do this is to ensure safe burial of those who have died of Ebola; remove the infected from communities and put them in holding and treatment centres; and hasten Ebola tests. We have started scoring successes in ensuring safe burial; we are also increasing the number of treatment centres and lab facilities to conduct tests for Ebola. But more needs to be done."

"With support from our partners, including the World Bank, the UN, the British and others, we have increased the availability of critical logistics and equipment, but more needs to be acquired. These include ambulances, vehicles and motorbikes, personal protective equipment, IV fluids, anti-bodies for superimposed infections, vitamins and food supplies. An additional 40 ambulances are needed to service the nationwide network of treatment centres and community Ebola care units; more motor bikes are needed for contact tracers and 20 to 50 4WD utility vehicles are needed for supervisors, surveillance officers and burial teams."

"The court for Sierra Leone is specifically for events that happen in the country. We believe that there is a justification for the court. Justification, because there is a need to send out signals – that nobody can shoot you away to get to power and expect to get away with it."

"If in the process, you allow people under your instructions to violate human rights, abuse people and disrupt the smooth running of society, you have to take responsibility. And I believe that what has happened has sent a signal to the people in the security forces, people that have plans of just access in power through the back-door, to think twice before they impact on such action. So it has had a useful purpose and I think, like I said it is going to put an end to the circle of impunity, of which people are doing things."