Choithrams brings hope to Sierra Leone victims

Nov 27 2021

Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone’s president, described the incident as a national tragedy. The president visited the Choithram Memorial Hospital to oversee the relief efforts.

Popular community supermarket brand, Choithrams has been among the first to respond to the oil tanker explosion in Sierra Leone that has made global headlines. The incident took place in the densely populated Wellington suburb in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown at a busy junction near the Choithram supermarket.

Sierra Leone National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) confirmed that an oil tanker explosion engulfed other vehicles and pedestrians nearby, leaving more than 144 dead and dozens fighting for survival.

Choithrams was amongst the first to bring relief to the victims. According to news agency WAM, the UAE sent an aircraft carrying 16 tonnes of urgent medical aid to Sierra Leone to mitigate the effects of the humanitarian disaster.

Many patients from the accident site are being treated at Choithram Memorial Hospital in Freetown at zero cost, dozens have been provided first-aid and medicines for free. In partnership with Interburns, Choithrams has organised to fly in a specialist burn therapist to Freetown to help assess and provide technical support to the victims.

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, said in a statement issued by his spokesperson, that he was “deeply saddened by the extensive loss of life.” Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone’s president, described the incident as a national tragedy. The president visited the Choithram Memorial Hospital to oversee the relief efforts.

He saw the victims and engaged with Choithrams management and medical team in charting the way forward and recuperation of patients.